Baguio, Benguet mayors push area growth plan

>> Tuesday, August 20, 2013

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – Cooperation among Baguio and Benguet town mayors is being enhanced among the city and provinces included in the Baguio-La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba-Tublay (BLISTT) development concept.

Baguio Mayor Mauricio Domogan bared this citing collaboration between Baguio and La Trinidad in tackling their mutual waste problem which he said is an offshoot of efforts to revive the BLISTT development concept, mapped out almost 20 years ago.

He expressed hope that more cooperation will emanate from said efforts as the city and Benguet towns pursue the development framework.

“I hope those days when negative attitudes persist are gone now because it is not true that only the city of Baguio will benefit from the BLISTT cooperation.  Of course, the city will have gains out of this but other municipalities will also mutually reap benefits as much as the city,” the mayor said.

Domogan earlier lauded La Trinidad mayor Edna Tabanda and other officials for helping the city in its time of need which he said is a symbol of cooperation which embodies the true spirit of the BLISTT concept.

Domogan attended the recent first development council convened by the Regional Development Council Cordillera (RDC-CAR)and hosted by the city at the Baguio Country Club with mayors Tabanda, VictorioPalangdan of Itogon, Arthur Baldo of Sablan, Florencio Bentrez of Tuba and Ruben Paoad of Tublay.

The meeting was also attended by RDC-CAR Vice Chairperson and National Economic Development Authority CAR Director Milagros Rimando, Dept of Interior and Local Government CAR Director John Castañeda, DILG Benguet Provincial Director Rufina Fegcan, DILG Baguio City Director Evelyn Trinidad and Environment Management Bureau-Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources CAR Director Oscar Cabanayan.

The mayor said the discussions centered on the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed in July 2012 which charts the BLISTT heads’ roles in the implementation of the development framework which aims to make the BLISTT a “model regional growth center.”

The mayor said the MOA will be subject to consultations with the BLISTT’s legislators and public and private organizations to gather inputs on the avenues of cooperation that the BLISTT may pursue.

According to Shah Balaw-ing of the RDC-CAR, the development council also agreed to involve line agencies to beef up its technical capabilities.
               
“It was agreed that the BLISTT mayors will comprise a governing body which will approve the recommendations of the BLISTT Development Council. The specific functions of the governing council and its relationship to the rest of the BLISTT structure shall be determined in the next council meeting,” Balaw-ing said.

“The members are encouraged to study the MOA and make proposals on further cooperation. It is expected that before the end of the year, more consultations shall had been conducted to generate comments and issues that must be addressed and lead to a commitment for a BLISTT re-planning.”
            

Domogan said the BLISTT development council will hold its next meeting August 23 with La Trinidad as host.

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