BLISTT growth area to benefit Benguet towns

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY – The implementation and realization of the Baguio-La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba-Tublay (BLISTT) growth corridor will not only be beneficial to Baguio City but also the surrounding towns of Benguet Province, Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan said.

                

The BLISTT growth corridor seeks to establish a Metro Baguio similar to the concept of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) in order to guarantee equitable distribution of development opportunities coupled with the sharing of resources to cater to rapid urbanization, especially in Baguio City.

                

“We need to involve our neighboring towns in Benguet in the crafting of a master development plan that will help in advancing the growth and development of our neighbors,” Domogan said.

He added equitable distribution of development opportunities will translate to increased economic activities, greater employment opportunities and bigger sources of livelihood, especially for the residents in the towns of La Trinidad, Itogon, Tuba and Tublay.

                

In 1995, European urban planners who were commissioned by the World Bank (WB) to conduct a feasibility study on the potentials of economic development in Baguio City recommended establishment of a Metro Baguio growth corridor that will cover the city’s neighboring towns of Benguet, particularly the adjacent ones.

                

Initially, Domogan disclosed, some big universities within the city’s central business district area have already started relocating outside the city proper while other schools and establishments are already scouting for relocation areas within areas outside the city where they could expand their operations in order to cater to the needs of the growing population.

                

St. Louis University (SLU), the oldest Catholic-run education institution in the city, started the bandwagon of relocating outside the city’s central business district by putting up its campus located in barangay Bakakeng Norte/Sur while others are now considering putting up other campuses outside the city.

                

Because of the need to inter-connect the city with other neighboring areas and to help in decongesting the worsening traffic congestions in the central business district area, the Department of Public works and Highways – Baguio City District Engineering Office  completed the 16-kilometer Baguio circumferential road that connects the city’s eastern side in Happy Hallow and the western link in Irisan passing through major roadlines, particularly the Naguilian road, Marcos Highway, Kennon road and the Loakan road. The road now serves as an alternate route for motorists wanting to go to the other side of the city without being caught in the monstrous traffic jams in the central business district area.

                

The Regional Development Council – Cordillera Administrative Region (RDC-CAR) is strongly pushing  the BLISTT growth area by convening local chief executives that comprise the BLISTT.

An initial amount was earmarked to start the series of undertakings that will lead to the realization of a holistic approach to implement the concept.

                

Reacting to comments that the implementation of the BLISTT is just intended to benefit the city considering that it will help solve the city’s major problems,

Domogan said all local governments that comprise the growth corridor stand to benefit because holistic solutions to rapid urbanization will be crafted and geared towards addressing all concerns on solid waste disposal, traffic management, scarcity of sources of potable water, environmental degredation and reforestation, peace and order among others.

                

“We appreciate the new set of local officials of our neighboring towns because they are open and receptive to the idea of concretizing the BLISTT which is being seen by many as a holistic approach in addressing problems being triggered by rapid urbanization,” Domogan said after attending a series of meetings initiated by RDC-CAR to formalize the concept and prepare the final master development plan that will be strictly followed by concerned local governments.

                

He admitted the city’s population continues to rapidly grow because Baguio is one of the prime tourist destinations and investment hubs in the country today, thanks to its cool and romantic weather, pine-scented air and scenic spots that continuously attract the influx of foreign and domestic tourists.

                

Based on the latest data obtained from the National Statistics Office (NSO) Baguio City has a total population of around 318,000 households but that the same is considered to be its nighttime population as the number of people visiting and doing business in the city during the day could reach as high as 900,000 individuals. The city’s population growth is around 2.7 percent annually which is much higher than the national population growth at 1.9 percent.

                

By spreading development opportunities, Domogan claimed neighboring communities will surely have increased economic activities, more employment opportunities and enhanced sources of livelihood that will translate to increased internally generated resources. .

                

Baguio City is able to generate around 60 percent of its annual budget from local taxes while its Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) accounts for only 40 percent of its executive budget. Out of its P1.4 billion proposed budget for next year, Baguio’s IRA is only 530 million while its locally generated revenues amount to more than P870 million.

                

Considering the vast tracks of lands in the neighboring towns that could be developed for various purposes, the local chief executive is confident that there will be equitable distribution of development opportunities thereby helping improve the status of the lower class municipalities like Sablan and Tublay considering that La Trinidad, Tuba and Itogon belong to the first-class towns.

                

Housing developers are also eying prime lots in the BLISTT area where they could establish high-end and low cost housing projects considering that housing is one of the major needs of interested investors wanting to establish their respective businesses not only in the city but also in other areas in Benguet.

Domogan is optimistic that with the increasing problems of rapid urbanization in the neighboring towns of Benguet, local governments have realized the need to fastrack the realization of the BLISTT growth area that will be a holistic approach towards settling major issues and concerns confronting their respective localities.