Teachers Camp Road open / New Baguio Vision

 CITY HALL BEAT

Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY -- Teachers Camp has reopened its interior road connecting Leonard Wood Road and South Drive Road to private vehicles starting today until Jan. 13, 2023 from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.

    This was upon the approval by Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte of Mayor Benjamin Magalong's request to open said inner street as an alternative passage route to ease traffic woes in the area especially during the holiday season.

    The approval was subject to conditions that the scheme be implemented with close monitoring by policemen to ensure the safety and security of the premises, the motorists and pedestrians entering the area.

    This is the third time that the DepEd secretary acceded to the city government’s request for the alternate route opening.  Duterte approved the city’s appeal around the same time last year to address the holiday rush and again last May for the summer vacation activities.

Baguio City Police Office Traffic Enforcement Unit chief Maj. Zacarias Dausen said opening the inner road helps unclog bottlenecks in the area such as Ilusorio Drive and Pacdal Rotunda.

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The City Development Council  chaired by Mayor Benjamin Magalong ratified the selection of the city’s new vision: “Baguio 2043 – A Creative, Inclusive and Livable City” in its fourth meeting last Nov. 29, 2023.

    The said vision was selected overwhelmingly by the public in an online voting conducted early November.

    The multi-sectoral CDC, a mandatory body responsible for the formulation, management and monitoring of development plans and public investment programs of the city government, approved the new vision through a resolution and submitted the same to the city council for adoption.

    The CDC which is composed of the 128 punong barangays of the city along with the 43 civil society organizations representing the various sectors and stakeholders sectors had been involved in the various stages of the vision  process starting last June.

    Mayor Magalong and the City Planning and Development Office under architect Donna Tabangin said the city made sure that the vision formulation process involved all sectors particularly the health, environment, agriculture, faith-based, senior citizens, indigenous peoples, farmers, cooperatives, women, children, girls, and family, sports, media, youth, professionals, and business and the public in general for an inclusive outcome. The vision's revision is in line with the updating of the city's Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) 2024-2032 which charts the city’s physical and economic development for the next eight years and the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) 2023-2028, which contains the city's development programs in the next five years.

    Creativity: This suggests a desire for the city to be a hub of artistic and cultural expression, fostering innovation, and supporting the creative industries. It could involve initiatives to promote the arts, cultural events, and innovation hubs, as well as technological solutions or smart systems as new ways of attaining sustainability and resiliency.

The new vision was explained:

    *2043: The year 2043 conveys that the vision is about overcoming the projected onset of irreversible urban decay by 2043 if we have not started putting in solutions to curb it now.

*Inclusivity: The term "inclusive" implies that the city is committed to ensuring that all residents, regardless of their backgrounds, have equal access to opportunities and services. It's a call for social and economic equity and diversity, people-centeredness, accountability, responsive, and progressive governance.

*Livability: "Livable" signifies a commitment to making Baguio a place where residents enjoy a high quality of life, with a focus on factors such as clean air, efficient transportation, green spaces, and a strong community.