BAGUIO CITY

‘First reading’: Companies required to secure approval before doing projects
BY DAN RICKY ONG

BAGUIO CITY – The city council last week approved on first reading a proposed ordinance of Councilor Rocky Thomas Balisong requiring all public utilities like telephone, cable, and telecommunication companies to secure the council’s approval and indorsement on any project they intend to implement in the city.

The measure seeks to set the guidelines for companies to adhere to before initiating a project. Such undertaking would help reduce if not eliminate the problems that usually arise between the residents and the public utility companies.

“Instances of raising questions by Barangay residents and concerned officials become inevitable when projects of the utility companies are being implemented without consultations. Questions on the possible health hazards of cell site towers of cellular phone companies have also brought great debates among the parties,” Balisong said.

He said companies on the other hand would also need to cope with the pace of technology thus the need to install new base antennae and towers to be able to likewise satisfy and deliver better services to its customers and subscribers.

“It is in this light that this piece of legislation is needed in order to set the specific requirements for these utility companies to conform to hence avoid disputes between them,” he added.

Once approved, requirements to be submitted to the council would include a Barangay resolution endorsing the project and indicating that the company and the Barangay had undergone consultations or public hearings with the affected residents.

Other requirements would include the height clearance secured from the Air Transportation Office and the clearance from the Department of Health, Bureau of Health Devices and Technology indicating that the project will not cause any health problems to the residents.

Also, the company is required to acquire an affidavit of consent by the residents living within the 200 meter radius of the project site and that such project will be beneficial to the city’s constituents.

Further, the proposed ordinance contained that no application for a project permit will be approved unless the complete requirements are submitted for the council to study and indorse. Also, no building, fencing or occupancy permit will be issued without the approval of the council.


Religious leaders spearhead multi-sectoral drive againstgovernment lottery operations
By DEXTER A. SEE

BAGUIO CITY – Dozens of Church leaders and thousands of Church workers here are spearheading a signature campaign against a renewed plan to operate the controversial government-run Small-Town Lottery (STL) in this mountain resort city.

Initially, some 40 religious leaders of various congregations signed a petition for the scrapping of the STL during a recent ecumenical meeting of the United Church of Christ of the Philippines.

The petition, which was also signed by thousands of supporters of the Church leaders, was initiated by Rev. Simplicio Dang-awan Jr., UCCP Baguio senior pastor, and is now being circulated in the 128 barangays to collect more signatures.

This will be submitted to local officials, who are reportedly inclined to approve the operation of STL in a bid to eradicate the proliferation of "jueteng," the illegal numbers game.

Rev. Andres Cosalan of the Catholic Church here said religious leaders stand firm on their position that gambling, legal or illegal, is bad for the people and their families.
The Baguio multi-sectoral group had revived its opposition to STL after one city official who reportedly told reporters that STL will be approved to eliminate the operation of "jueteng" and other forms of illegal numbers games in this city.

Lawyer Alexander Bangsoy, BMG spokesperson, said the group will not allow legal or illegal gambling in the city, adding the issue over morality should come first over the economic benefits to be derived from gambling.

It was learned that at least three firms have signified their intention to operate STL in this city subject to the rules and regulations passed by the former city council and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

Ordinance 45, series of 1990, amended Ordinance 2, series of 1990, providing the rules and regulations for the operation of STL in this city.

The BMG warned that it will hold a series of anti-gambling rallies in this city to show the people’s vehement opposition to gambling in the city.

However, political analysts here predicted that the approval of the operation of STL might again be a hairline decision of the city council, recalling what was done by the previous council when it approved the operation of a bingo parlor under the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. in 2000.

Despite the anti-gambling stance of BMG, "jueteng" and other forms of illegal gambling continue to proliferate in the city right under the noses of law enforcers.


More blackouts seen in Baguio, 4 Benguet towns
BY DEXTER A SEE

BAGUIO CITY – Over 100,000 power consumers in this mountain resort city and nearby towns of Benguet would experience longer blackouts in the coming days if the National Transmission Corp. will not fully rehabilitate their power lines in accordance to specifications of the Grid Code.

Gerardo P. Verzosa, general manager of the Benguet Electric Coop. bared this saying the recent five-hour blackout experienced in the city and La Trinidad, Benguet would be repeated in the coming days once the power lines of Transco fail.

He added power consumers in the towns of Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and La Trinidad will encounter longer power portages in case Transco’s main power line supplying the power needs of Beneco fails due to unforeseen circumstances.

Under the Grid Code approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission, Transco is required to install alternative lines, aside from their existing power lines, so that there will be no serious power interruptions that will compromise the interest of consumers in Baguio and Benguet.

The whole of Baguio, La Trinidad, Itogon Sablan and Tuba suffered from a five-hour blackout early evening of May 25 when its newly-tapped line from Beneco suddenly tripped off, two days after the conduct of initial rehabilitation works in reparation for the installation of double switches that would guarantee reliability of power supply.

Verzosa said rehabilitation of Tranco’s power lines must form part of the company’s five-year development and rehabilitation plan to ensure reliability and quality of power delivered to the consumers.

However, Fernando Gadon, Transco’s division manager for Western Benguet, said they are still in the process of finalizing the survey for the full rehabilitation of their power lines before it will be submitted for inclusion in their five-year development land by their corporate planning office.

Gadon said is their central office that decides on such matters but they were not remiss in submitting needed requirements to justify its inclusion in the company’s development plan.

Both officials agreed that they will closely work together to ensure the delivery of reliable and quality power to the consumers to prevent the occurrence of future blackouts that would grossly inconvenience the ordinary consumers.


P300-M circumferential road to ease traffic flow: Right-of-way claims snag vital Baguio road project
BY DEXTER A SEE

BAGUIO CITY — Unsettled right-of-way claims continue to derail the construction of the R300-million circumferential road in this mountain resort city that aims to provide an alternate route for motorists wanting to evade traffic congestion in the central business district.

Engineer Mariano Alquisa, regional director of the Department of Public Works and Highways, said it is not a matter of not having enough funds but a matter of settling claims over properties to be affected by the ambitious road project.

He said there were a number of claims that would have been settled earlier had it not been for the indecisiveness of some claimants over the compensation package being offered by the agency.
Some claimants reportedly had agreed to a settlement, but later changed their mind and demanded higher compensation.

This led to another delay in the implementation of the project despite efforts to fast-track its implementation to ease traffic congestion in the city.

Barangay Happy Hallow, one of the remotest areas in the city, remains to be a problem area in terms of the settlement of road right-of-way claims.

The 21-km circumferential road project was conceptualized in response to the city’s worsening traffic situation.

Former President Joseph Estrada had approved the release of P300 million for the project as the national government’s partial payment to its obligations it incurred for the liquidation of various national government properties in the city which were assessed at over R800 million.

If the road is finished, motorists from Irisan, the biggest barangay of the city, could go to Happy Hallow at the other side of the city, and vice versa, without passing through the central business district.

Alquisa said the three phases of the project in Happy Hallow costs over P80 million and involves road widening, concreting, and improvement of the drainage system.

Another problem is the road opening at the Balacbac-Camp 7 portion of the road where the claimants want their lots to be bought at allegedly excessive prices.

Earlier, Baguio City Rep. Mauricio G. Domogan acted as a mediator in convincing the Bases Conversion and Development Authority to allow the DPWH contractors to work on the portions of the road located in the Camp John Hay reservation.