The city council through a resolution has adopted the Executive-Legislative Agenda or ELA of Baguio for 2022 to 2025, which is a three-year action plan or priority policies and legislative measures designed to support the city’s local development priorities, specifically those defined in the executive agenda.
The city executive and legislative departments agreed on the ELA in accordance with the presented and discussed proposals during the two-day conference in July attended by Mayor Benjamin Magalong together with the department heads and the Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan together with the councilors.
The ELA is reduced and spelled out into seven points, specifically the Environment, Land Use and Energy; Climate and Disaster Resilience; Urban Regeneration; Youth Empowerment; Economic Development and Competitiveness; Smart City Management; and Good Governance.
The priority projects, programs, and activities contained in the ELA being aptly studied fit and appropriate for barangays and city-wide development are also aligned with the thrusts and priorities and sustainable development goals of the national government.
In Resolution 470, s. 2022, the body approved a Supplemental Annual Investment Program for 2022 for the project, “Urban trees maintenance and management-Baguio’s disaster prevention and adaptation measures to climate change.”
The P5-million project shall cover tree trimming, pruning, pollarding, and tree surgery in various city parks, center islands, road right-of-ways and other government lots, including landslide prone areas in the city which are feasible for tree planting as identified under Ordinance 129, s. 2020.
The City Environment and Parks Management Office shall lead the implementation of the project and thereafter submit progress report for information and appropriate legislative measure.
The City Legal Office was tasked through Resolution 485 s. 2020 to draft a notice of rescission of the Aug. 29, 1996 design, build and lease agreement between the Uniwide Sales Realty and Resources Corporation and the City Government of Baguio.
The draft, which shall contain the legal and factual bases for the rescission of the contract, will be submitted to the city council for consideration and approval.
As per the resolution, Uniwide represented by its President Jimmy Gow was declared in a state of bankruptcy by the Supreme Court and is now undergoing liquidation proceedings before Branch 258 of the Regional Trial Court of Parañaque City.
Letters sent out to the corporation and Charleston Realty Co. to invite them to explain the alleged deed of assignment over the contract of the city with Uniwide dated Aug. 28, 1996 were returned un-served.
In separate resolutions, the city council has expressed gratitude and acceptance to the offers of three foreign cities for sisterhood/twinning relationships.
Foremost is with the City of Eilat, State of Israel initially discussed through virtual meeting on Nov. 21, 2021 between the Baguio team led by the mayor and Eilat led by Mayor Eli Lankri.
Eilat City, under leadership of Lankri, is among those recognized successful “smart city” in line with international criteria.
Eilat’s success as a smart city began about two years ago through a strategic process and guided by an inspired vision as Israel’s southern gateway, an international center of tourism and sports, a hub of diverse employment, a university and research center, a tourism industry incubator, and a strong, “smart”, and sustainable city whose attractiveness draws a quality population.
The other endeavor is with the City of Jaipur, Republic of India through the initiative of Chakravarti Singh Rathore, Indian Administrative Services, Collector and District Magistrate of Jaipur.
In a letter dated March 3 to Magalong, Rathore desires for a collaboration with the city for knowledge exchange, including harmonious focus on synergizing competing development priorities on eco-tourism, crafts, industrial development, smart highland urbanism, and tourism.
Jaipur City, known for being a religious center with many popular and significant temples, is also known for its rich cultural and tradition-driven pursuits, such as Tussarloom making and weaving, ancient art of stone carving, Kinchagolden grass basket weaving, bamboo crafts, terracotta pot making, traditional painting of Joht Chitaand Muruja, and traditional performance arts.
The third anticipated endeavor is with the City of Lima, Ohio, a place that has historical value and various connections with the city, most notably the mayorship of Ohio and Engr. Eusebius Julius Halsema in Baguio City from 1920 to 1937.
Olowan proposed the idea of city ties between Baguio and Lima in a meeting last February to Ronald Eiselstein, a green energy technology advocate from Ohio, who later informed Lima City Mayor Sharetta Smith.
The Philippine International Sisterhood and Twinning Association Baguio City Chapter Committee will prepare the necessary documents to effect the establishment of sisterhood ties.
