March 29, 2024

The city council has approved Resolution 111, s. 2022 for the conduct of a two-day experimental scheme on the use of the city’s bike routes/lanes to assess the system’s practicality and other aspects for adjustments and priorities like the safety and welfare of motorists, pedestrians, and cyclist before finally acting on the pending proposed “Mandatory Bicycle Lanes and Walking Paths Ordinance of Baguio City.”
In the resolution, the Traffic and Transportation Management Division and City Engineering Office were tasked to schedule and supervise the experiment on two Saturdays in coordination with the Land Traffic and Transport Management Committee and with the participation of other offices and bikers.
Provision of bicycle lanes are considered one of the best practices of great economies in mitigating the effects of global warming emanating from public and private transport. It fosters environmental sustainability for future generations and protects pedestrians, brisk-walkers, and bicyclists as it is installed with necessary safety measures and facilities.
Memorandum Circular 2020-100 of the Department of the Interior and Local Government provides the “Guidelines for the establishment of a network of cycling lanes and walking paths to support people’s mobility.”
In joint Resolution 105, s. 2022, the city council has strongly denounced the continued smuggling of temperate vegetables in support to local farmers of the Cordillera’s call on government authorities for collaborative efforts and measures to stop the continued smuggling of vegetables in the region and across the country.
Farmers of the Cordillera are responsible for the production of quality temperate vegetables in the country and supplying around 80 percent of the requirement in Metro Manila and other provinces.
Farmers and stakeholders of the Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center and the Vegetable Trading Post in La Trinidad, Benguet are one in vigorously working and pleading with the local and concerned national government offices so that smuggling of all kinds of highland vegetables affecting the local vegetable industry would stop.
The group also condemned the continuous smuggling of carrots from China that is flooding the key markets in Metro Manila and other provinces and slowly killing local carrots production and the farmers in Benguet and other provinces of the Cordillera.
The resolution appealed to the Bureau of Customs and the Department of Agriculture to provide a permanent solution to the smuggling of vegetables.
Through Resolution 118, s. 2022, the city council granted amnesty to businesses in the city that are not yet compliant with the National Building Code and the Zoning Ordinance.
The amnesty covers all businesses that were forced to cease operations and those with pending applications to start and/or resume doing business subject to reporting to the City Permits and Licensing Division-City Mayor’s Office and payment of required fees or taxes to the city.
Citing Administrative Order 70, s. 2009, the issuance of business permits in special circumstances, like for reasons of operating on or within buildings or establishments not issued with building or occupancy permit, is favorable to the city as it prevents the reduction on tax collections, fees and charges or loss of revenues.
The resolution stated that on several city council meetings, numerous affected residents whose businesses were ordered closed or cannot start have appealed for help and considerations because they cannot secure business permits and occupancy permits to operate as they are situated in buildings or areas not compliant with the NBC and Zoning Ordinance, which they did not intentionally committed but as a result of circumstances beyond their control that need to be addressed both by the building owners and the government in certain period of time.
In previous resolutions, the city council requested the City Planning and Development Office, the City Buildings and Architecture Office and the Permits and Licensing Division-City Mayor’s Office to implement said Administrative Order 70 in the processing of permits for businesses in special circumstances.
In the resolution, giving reprieve by way of amnesty will hasten the thriving of livelihood of the affected constituents and gives them opportunity to recoup their lost incomes while contributing to the coffers of the city and generates employment.
During the amnesty, concerned lessors, lessees, and other independent business operators are required to exert diligent efforts to perfect their titles, possession, and ownership over the land and buildings where they conduct their business operations.
The resolution was furnished to Mayor Benjamin Magalong, City Treasurer Alex Cabarrubias, Allan Abayao of the City Permits and Licensing Division, and Marvin Herrera of the Public Order and Safety Division for their information and appropriate action.