MORE NEWS, BAGUIO CITY

Cordillera council pushes organic act for autonomy
BY DEXTER A. SEE

BAGUIO CITY September 21 – The Regional Development Council in the Cordillera is pushing for a third organic act to make the region autonomous and has reactivated debates and discussions to amend Executive order EO No. 220 or the presidential issuance that created the Cordillera Administrative Region efore the submission of an acceptable measure to Congress for consideration.

The RDC’s special committee on autonomy chaired by Juan Ngalob, regional director of the National Economic Development Authority and interim chairman of the RDC, with Presidential Assistant for the Cordillera Tomas Killip is implementing the RDC’s decision to revive the proposed amendment of the CAR law.

Earlier, Baguio City Rep. Mauricio G. Domogan expressed his willingness to spearhead the filing of the bill to amend EO 220, together with other Cordillera congressmen, provided that the initiative will come from the grassroots level to erase misconceptions on the motive to amend the law.

The RDC called on various sectors in the region to start initial discussions relative to the proposed amendment of EO 220 and submit their respective proposals at the proper time so that the special committee will not be loaded with voluminous documents.

Former president Corazon C. Aquino signed EO 220 on July 15, 1987 creating the CAR hich comprises the provinces of Abra, Benguet, Mountain province and Baguio city from Region I and Apayao, Ifugao and Kalinga from Region II.

The RDC is the policy-making body of the region that outlines the pertinent directions of the cordillera en route towards a progressive region and for the attainment of autonomy.

Domogan said there are objectionable provisions in EO 220 that must be removed through an act of Congress but he will await the sentiments of the Cordillerans so the proposed amendments would be acceptable to the people.

The RDC’s special committee on autonomy holds the heavy task of preparing the region for a third attempt to self-governance and one of the major steps towards a sustained effort to convince the voters to vote for autonomy in a future plebiscite is to amend EO 220 for it to be acceptable to the people.

Cordillerans have overwhelmingly rejected autonomy in two plebiscites scheduled on January 30, 1990 and March 7, 1998. In the first plebiscite, Ifugao province voted yes for autonomy while Apayao voted for autonomy in the second plebiscite.

However, the RDC is contemplating on adopting a scientific way of convincing the people to vote for autonomy, particularly in the conduct of sample surveys to be followed by tracking surveys and formal research with local government units on the viability of the region becoming autonomous.
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Bocaps to get fresh mandate; dads push merger plebiscite
BY ISAGANI S. LIPORADA

BAGUIO CITY – The long-overdue merger of barangays in this city may not happen this year but the city government is bent in pushing through with the plebiscite on the matter.

Vice mayor Daniel Farinas bared the city is negotiating possibility of holding the plebiscite with the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections with the Commission on Elections.

He added the city council is currently deliberating the P8-million appropriation for the local polls.

During the council session on Sept. 17 however, deliberations on a P71.6-million supplemental budget which included the proposed appropriation for the polls was sidelined.

This, after councilor Erdolfo Balajadia said the Commission on Elections has its own budget for the Oct. 29 elections and “the amount may be appropriated for other priority projects of the city.”

The council is set to tackle the supplemental account on Sept. 17 after the council agreed to give it a week’s furlough.

Farinas said holding the plebiscite simultaneously with the Barangay elections would spell savings for the city.

Meanwhile, the Department of Interior and Local Government said barangay end-termers will have fresh mandate” should the merger be realized.

DILG undersecretary Austere Panadero in a Sept. 5 opinion addressed to DILG-Cordillera director Everdina Doctor said this is “because they will be running in a new territory with a new electorate.”

On the determination of “majority of votes cast,” Panadero said existing jurisprudence provides that “the plebiscite should take into account not the majority vote for each Barangay, but the majority votes for all affected barangays.”

Corollary, “it is the plurality result of votes in several barangays taken altogether and not the
result per Barangay” that would prevail in a situation where a Barangay affected decides to vote against merger.

Panadero said, “Politically, barangays merged will be governed by only one set of elective officials.”

“The Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) share of the several barangays will be cancelled and the resultant Barangay will be entitled to only one share of the IRA based on the formula prescribed by the law and the Department of Budget and Management,” the undersecretary added.

Local Government Code experts meanwhile say that a simultaneous elections and merger plebiscite bestows winning candidates of the October elections vested rights.

They said a merger during the incumbency of 2007-elected officials would abruptly halt powers and duties of said elected officials.

“Thus,” they added, the “merger would probably take place in the next scheduled elections, at the end of the terms of 2007-elected officials.


POSD clamps down vs illegal vendors onBaguio roads, alleys
BY ISAGANI S. LIPORADA

BAGUIO CITY – After weeks of warning of an impending clampdown to clear city easements of illegal vendors, the mayor’s office last week conducted a series of “clearing activities” taking Baguioans to virtual time travel – when streets were clear of vendors and unsightly encroachments.

Public order safety division head Gregorio Deligero said clearing activities were in line with Mayor Reinaldo Bautista, Jr.’s thrust to “bring the city back to its glory as a tourism city.”

Armed with hammers, bolt-cutters, and their signature ball-cap and black uniform, Deligero’s unit composed of 17 POSD men, 25-volunteers, and 10-cops braved Burnham Park Sept. 18, yielding materials used by illegal vendors for temporary shelters and shelves enough to build a house with.

On Sept. 19, the group transformed the sidewalks of Session Road and its interiors into an “honest to goodness promenade,” earning praises from passersby and tourists alike.

As of press time, the team was clearing the city market of illegal vendors so the roads could fit two-way traffic while sides-streets would be enough to accommodate hundreds of market-goers.

He added before conducting “dismantling and confiscation sweeps,” his team members first go around asking vendors “politely” to voluntarily dismantle their make-shift tents and shelves.

As this developed, a measure prohibiting owners and administrators of residential and commercial establishments along easements from coddling and allowing informal traders to use any part of their frontage for ‘guerilla’ selling activities is undergoing deliberations in the City Council.

The same measure proscribes selling in parks and penalizes those in charge with its maintenance from being instant legislators – amending statutes transforming city parks “within the commerce of man.”

Councilor Elaine Sembrano in the proposed ordinance said, “Our existing laws just aren’t enough” the alderman said in a separate interview adding, “The problem [with illegal vending] could only be addressed by expanding punitive sanctions to cover even those who allow or tolerate hawking. The city government needs to enforce anti-peddling laws and ordinances without favor, without exception or procrastination, regardless of personal relationships, political affiliation or economic status.”

Deligero thanked efforts of legislators “to make their jobs much easier” observing, “we’ve had a hard time accosting vendors who surreptitiously hide in legitimate establishments.”

“The measure, once approved, would surely give us leverage against hawkers and their coddlers.”

He appealed to Baguio folk, “to help our vendors look for alternative sources of livelihood by not buying from them and in the process, averting any arrests and penalties that we have no choice but to implement.”

“We likewise appeal to our vendors to set a good example to our kids by not indulging in illegal activities. In the same manner, we want to remind them not to expect rewards for acts which are punishable by local and national laws.”