CITY HALL BEAT
Aileen P. Refuerzo
BAGUIO CITY – The city
failed to duplicate its zero-firecracker-injury feat last year as it chalked up
three casualties, two of whom “passive” meaning the injuries were not caused by
the victims' direct handling of the pyrotechnic devices during the Christmas
and New Year merrymaking.
City Health
Officer Dr. Rowena Galpo said the blast injury victims were all male aged six,
23 and 61 years.
Two were
resident of San Carlos Heights and Bakakeng Norte while the other was a visitor
from Paranque who was staying at South Drive.
Two of the
victims sustained injuries in the eyes and leg caused by kwitis while the
six-year old boy sustained a burn in the face after playing with luces.
Only one
victim was under the influence of liquor.
Two were
treated at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center and one at the Notre
Dame de Chartres Hospital.
The city
maintained its long-running stand to discourage the sale and use of
firecrackers and instead mounted community activities for the revelry.
Last year,
this effort succeeded as the city achieved a zero casualty status for the first
time after years of advocating for safe merrymaking.
The city has
an existing ordinance which bans the sale and use of certain firecrackers but
it has been the hope of health authorities and previous administrations that
the measure can be upgraded to implement a total ban on these pyrotechnic
devices.
***
Mayor
Magalong vowed to sustain if not rev up the momentum gained in the
implementation of the city’s strategic programs in the first six months of his
administration.
In their
first Management Committee meeting for the year conducted Jan. 7, the mayor
urged the department heads to take stock of the programs and projects started
in line with the city’s 15-point core agenda and find ways to sustain if not
speed up their prosecution.
He said year
2020 is a pivotal year for the city as it is when they expect to implement
major projects lined up based on the agenda and to continue mapping up programs
for the general improvement of the city in the coming years.
“With
competence, and strong leadership, we are now prepared to execute strategic
solutions and programs to make things happen in 2020 and succeeding years,” the
mayor said in his New Year message entitled “A Call to Arms, Clasped in Unity.”
“To make
Baguio better, there will be no let-up in pushing for change in the way we do
our assigned tasks,” he promised.
In the ManCom
meeting, the mayor said that beginning this year, the departments will conduct
evaluations every quarter of the year to keep track of the program
implementation and identify and solve problems immediately.
He said the
city will target the increase of revenues by P300 million this year to improve
the city’s financial standing.
This will be
done through the imposition of additional fees particularly the congestion and
environmental fees to tourists fees, parking fees and intensification of the
collection of existing charges.
The city has
an approved budget of P2.255 billion for this year and expects to implement P5
billion worth of programs, projects and activities under its Annual Investment
Plan.
The projects
include the rehabilitation of main sewerlines and sewerage system, parks
development, sidewalk repair, upgrading of slaughterhouse corral, city market
modernization, construction of youth convergence center, rainwater harvesting
facilities and construction of command center.
The city’s 15
core agenda are Speeding Up Government Actions; Revitalizing the Environment;
Innovating Peace and Order Condition; Aggressive Traffic Management; Responsive
Education Programs; Empowering the Youth; Expanding Health and Social Services;
Responsible Tourism; Enlivened Culture, Arts, Crafts, and Heritage; Market
Modernization; Efficient Disaster Management; Empowered and Accountable Barangay
Governance; Strengthened Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Services; Poverty
Reduction; and Resolution of Indigenous People Land Issues.
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