Mayor warns name droppers as he finishes 100 days on office

CITY HALL BEAT

Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Benjamin Magalong on Oct. 15 issued a stern warning to persons or groups using his name to either gain privileges or skirt penalties: “Stop or I’ll have you arrested.”

The mayor said he has been receiving reports that some people using his name or flaunting their alleged connection to the chief executive to avoid paying penalties for illegal parking and other similar incidents.

“Reports reaching my office showed that some people use my name to gain either privileges on amenities or exemptions from penalties.  This is to give notice that I am not giving any favor to anyone, not even my relatives and friends to be given any privilege especially immunity from the law on my account,” the mayor said.

“In view of this, I am asking the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) to arrest anyone who will use my name in any transaction,” he added.

In the past months, similar reports circulated of unidentified persons conning restaurants and other establishments into delivering food and goods also on account of the mayor.

The said individuals were so enterprising that they went to the extent of impersonating the mayor while calling restaurants, bars and other establishments and placing orders of food, liquor and others goods victimizing gullible business owners.
This prompted the mayor to issue a warning and advice to the businessmen to be wary and vigilant of said persons.

“These unscrupulous activities need to stop so I am ordering the immediate action against these persons,” he said.

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Mayor Magalong will report on his accomplishments in his first 100 days in office on Oct. 21, 8 a.m. after the flag-raising ceremonies at the City Hall grounds.
The mayor is expected to highlight the gains and headways achieved by the city on the strategic priority projects, programs and activities of the city anchored on the 15 core collective agenda of the city government from the time he assumed as chief executive.
The 15 core agenda are Speeding Up Government Actions; Revitalizing the Environment; Innovating Peace and Order Condition; Aggressive Traffic Management; Responsive Education Programs; Empowering the Youth; Expanding Health and Social Services; Responsible Tourism; Enlivened Culture, Arts, Crafts, and Heritage; Market Modernization; Efficient Disaster Management; Empowered and Accountable Barangay Governance; Strengthened Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Services; Poverty Reduction; and Resolution of Indigenous People Land Issues.

These agenda stemmed from the ten-point executive thrusts which the mayor presented in his inaugural speech last June wherein he promised to work for a better Baguio City in cooperation with the various sectors.

"With a strong partnership anchored on the principles of seamless cooperation, collaboration, coordination and communication, I am completely committed to make Baguio a better City for everyone. This I will do, not just as a mayor, but as a leader who listens with a healthy respect to everyone, who leads by example, and someone who is willing to make the tough decisions at the right time," he said in his speech where he also issued marching orders for the review of infrastructure and services contracts, implementation of safety standards and procedures in projects sites, enhancement of traffic schemes, inspection of structures to ensure compliance with environmental laws, stoppage of gambling activities as well as the weeding out of fixers at the City Hall.

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The City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) is calling on all benefactors of the Adopt-A-Park project of the city to report to the office to signify whether or not they are still interested to continue with the program.

CEPMO Asst. Department Head Rhenan Diwas said that as part of the parks development program in line with the office’s thrust to revitalize the city’s environment, the office will revisit the Adopt-A-Park program for enhancement.

He said an inventory of the existing parks in the city will be conducted including those adopted by various organizations.

As per record of the CEPMO, there are more than 20 public parks, center islands and greenbelts of which care was entrusted to non-government and civic organizations under the city’s Adopt-A-Park project.

He said some of these organizations have been complying with their obligations but there are those who have been remiss as their adoptive areas now appear to be neglected.

New guidelines will also be issued to improve the program.
  “Please visit the office if you intend to renew your memorandum of agreement with us or inform us just the same if you are no longer interested to continue with the program,” he said.

It will be recalled that in 2016, a Parks Management Authority was created by then mayor Mauricio Domogan to serve as a policy-making body for all parks and recreation centers in the city.

This is pursuant to Ordinance No. 18 series of 2016 or the Environment Code of the City of Baguio which provides for the creation of such body.
Administrative Order No. 183 series of 2016 tasked the city environment and parks management officer to head chair the body with the following as members: city council committee on tourism, special events and parks or playgrounds chair; city buildings and architecture officer; city engineer; city administrator; city general services officer; Baguio City Museum administrator; and members of the city local finance committee, United Architects of the Philippines (UAP), Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers of the Philippines (PICE) local chapters and representatives from the University of the Cordilleras, St. Louis University and the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC).

Apart from being a policy-formulating body, the PMA will be tasked to coordinate the planning and preparation of the over-all concept and master plans of all parks and recreation areas in the city and will take charge of identifying areas for partnership with the private sector in line with the city’s Adopt-a-Park program, screen applications of would-be partners and coordinate regular public engagements to enhance awareness of the constituents on the aesthetic and environmental value of city parks.– Aileen P. Refuerzo