House OK’s revised Baguio Charter on second reading

BAGUIO CITY – The House of Representatives has approved on second reading the proposed revision to the city’s century-old Charter so that pertinent rules and regulations will be in accordance with the times.

Upon the sponsorship of the House committee on local government, the House concluded plenary debates on the proposed revisions and set the same for third and final reading this week so it will be forwarded to the Senate for the passage of the mandatory counterpart bill.

Rep. Bernardo M. Vergara said highlights of the revised Baguio Charter include definition of its boundaries with other neighboring towns of Benguet, particularly Tuba, Itogon and La Trinidad, so that it will be able to retain its 57.5 square kilometer land area.

Moreover, the lawmaker said the award of alienable and disposable lands to qualified beneficiaries in the city’s 128 barangays will also be simplified because the same will be lodged with the local government unit after the identification and segregation of lands for public use.

According to Vergara, there is urgent need to award lands in the city to qualified beneficiaries so the city government will benefit from it through payment of taxes by qualified occupants and prevent the invasion of watershed and forest reservations by land speculators.

Vergara added the present system of awarding alienable and disposable lands to qualified residents through the townsite sales application and miscellaneous sales application is too bureaucratic which deprived people chance to own their occupied properties in the city.

Records show that for the past five years, Administrative Order 504 clearing committee chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources never met to decide on thousands of TSAs pending for disposal thereby depriving awardees chance to process ownership of their lands.

Considering that the bill is an important measure for local application, the lawmaker claimed the swift action of the House on the matter was an indication that the national government is also concerned about the plight of local governments to have greater autonomy as well as control of their resources to help enhance the development in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan, who authored the proposed revision to the city’s century-old Charter in the 12, 13th and 14th Congress, cited lawmakers for considering the passage of local bills that promote local governance to empower them in rural development.