The city council has approved Ordinance 122, s. 2019, which requires observance of the “First come, first served” policy when riding public utility vehicles in the City of Baguio.
The measure has amended Ordinance 25, s. 1990, which provides only for “buses” to include jeepneys, taxis, and such other modes of public transportation under the definition or coverage of public utility vehicles.
Ordinance 25 requires “First come, first served” policy in entering buses, movie houses, concerts, conventions, and athletic competitions as a means of instilling discipline and strengthening peace and order in the city.
The policy applies also when securing stamps at the post office or buying tickets in bus stations, movie houses, concerts, and athletic competitions; paying tuition in schools, taxes, and dues with any government office or bills in hospitals and institutions; and securing permits for any examinations or clearances from government offices and the like.
Ordinance 122 prohibits the acts of: 1. Overtly or covertly entering a line at any position other than the end which may include joining others in the line or using any instrument or scheme to save a slot or space in a line; 2. Breaking up a line or employing devices and schemes to disrupt the order and cause confusion as to the order of persons in physical or virtual line; 3. Using any physical force, threats, intimidation or influence by virtue of power, social status, prominence, or reputation to cut in, break up, or disrupt the order of a line; 4. Employing devices, schemes, and deceit in order to cut in, break up, or disrupt the order of a line; and 5. Knowingly giving consent to the foregoing acts by allowing another person to insert, cut in, break up, or disrupt the order of a line.
Senior citizens; persons with disabilities; pregnant women; and women with babies and persons who by reason of health, national security or public interest need immediate goods and/or services are exempt from the provisions of the ordinance.
Individuals who commit any of the prohibited acts shall be penalized with fines of P1,000 on first offense; P2,000 on second offense; and P5,000 on third and subsequent offenses.
The managers, operators, and/or authorities of concerned companies, associations, offices, and institutions are mandated to assign personnel in their respective establishments or premises who shall oversee the proper implementation of the policy, and also required to post conspicuous notices at their respective premises indicating thereon the existence of the policy that need to be followed and requiring the formation of a line.
Violations or non-compliance of these requirements are likewise penalized with P1,000; P2,000; and P5,000 fines for the first, second, and the third and subsequent offenses, respectively.
The ordinance which shall take effect in accordance with the Local Government Code of 1991 was submitted to the Office of the Mayor for his signature.
The council, in separate resolutions has authorized Mayor Benjamin Magalong to enter into memorandums of agreement with the regional offices of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Agriculture regarding the city’s waste recovery project.
In Resolution 501, s. 2019, Magalong was tasked to represent the city government of Baguio for an agreement with the Environment Management Bureau, represented by Regional Director Ma. Victoria Abrera for the construction of materials recovery facilities at barangays Bakakeng Central, Guisad Central, and Irisan.
The endorsement is supported by the EMB’s recognition of the impact of an organized and intensive waste recovery system, which is a priority effort in cleaning the growing metropolis.
The resolution cited Section 32 of Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, which provides for the establishment of a materials recovery facility (MRF) in every barangay or cluster of barangays for mixed waste for final sorting, segregation, composting, and recycling.
It also mentioned about the prior agreement of the EMB and the city government for collaboration regarding implementation of the objectives of RA 9003 particularly in the upgrading for operation of MRFs, proper segregation at source, and the segregated collection policy.
In Resolution 500, s. 2019, the mayor shall represent the city in an agreement with the Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), represented by Officer-in-Charge Angel Enriquez, the DA-Regional office, represented by Regional Executive Director Cameron Odsey, for the establishment of a composting facility for biodegradable wastes (CFBW) in Baguio City.
The BSWM, a staff bureau of the DA, is currently implementing the establishment of CFBW under the National Organic Agriculture Program in support to the Republic Act 10068 or the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010.
Section 13 of the act mandates the BSWM to devise and implement ways and means not only of producing organic fertilizers and other farm inputs and needs, but also to help alleviate the problems of industrial waste and community garbage disposal through sorting, collecting and composting.
The resolution further mentioned that the BSWM and the DA-Cordillera, which are both supportive to RA 9003 with emphasis on the use of environmentally sound methods that maximize the use of valuable resources and resource conservation and recovery, have already agreed to cooperate with the city government of Baguio for the establishment of a city-owned CFBW.
A happy and prosperous New Year to all!
May 9, 2024
