Magalong heads BLISTT; council members named

BAGUIO CITY — Mayor Benjamin Magalong has been elected as the new head of the Baguio City–La Trinidad–Itogon–Sablan–Tuba and Tublay (BLISTT) governing council.

Magalong, a first time mayor of this city, was elected as chairman among the six local chief executives of Benguet.

The council officers are Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan, vice chairman; Tublay Mayor Armando Lauro, treasurer; La Trinidad Mayor Romeo Salda, secretary; and Sablan Mayor Manuel Munar and Tuba Mayor Clarita Sal-ongan as members.

National Economic Development Authority regional director Milagros Rimando said in a phone interview that the council is tasked to provide the overall direction and coordination of all development efforts of the body.

In an interview, Magalong said the council would focus on five major problems in their areas.

These are waste management, traffic, environment, re-greening, and the passage of the bill creating the BLISTT Development Authority, which is likened to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

“It’s about time we talk about policies, we deliver results, that is what we need to do here, tangible results, something concrete,” Magalong said.

He said Baguio’s commitment under his administration is to help develop the other municipalities.

“Instead of inviting investors to come to Baguio, it is better to invite investors who will invest in the adjacent municipalities, that way I’m also helping Baguio because we are already overpopulated here,” Magalong said.

“It is about time we disperse the population and the only way to do that is to improve the business climate in the other municipalities,” he said.

Magalong said the governing body would also look at the possibility of sharing a common solution for waste management, such as the waste-to-energy scheme.

Other plans include the rehabilitation of the rivers, as well as re-greening of the environment, wherein saplings that are two to three years old, instead of seedlings, would be planted. (PNA)