March 28, 2024

Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan as presiding officer is exploring ways to convene the city council through the use of the Internet.
In his undated office memorandum to the sangguniang panlungsod staff, Olowan called for the personnel to assist in the scheduled test run online council session tomorrow, March 30 at 2:00 p.m. using the Zoom application.
The vice-mayor wants to take advantage of available technology to connect the council members and support staff for a meeting while safely staying in their homes. He stressed that video conferencing is one effective way for the council to perform its legislative tasks and duties in providing the needed support and necessary measures for the smooth administrative operation of the city’s various offices and continued delivery of basic services to the people without unnecessary exposure to the threat of the coronavirus disease-2019 (Covid-19).


In its session on March 23, the body approved on second reading and for publication the proposed ordinance for the commemoration of Sept. 3 every year, the official date of the end of World War II, or also known as the Victory Day.
The measure is pursuant to Republic Act 11216, dated Feb. 14, 2019, which declares Sept. 3 of every year as a special working public holiday throughout the country in commemoration of the formal surrender of the Japanese military forces led by General Tomoyuki Yamashita at the American High Commissioners Residence in Camp John Hay.
It is also in compliance with the mandate of Presidential Proclamation 653 s. 1993, which directs for the annual commemoration of the anniversaries of significant events related to the liberation of the Philippines during World War II, for all concerned local government units to undertake fitting commemorative rites and activities relative to the liberation anniversaries in their localities.
“The commemoration served to remind the people on what transpired during WWII and how the Japanese Military Forces surrendered, formally ending the WWII in 1945.”
Under the ordinance, the conduct of memorial rites to honor the official end of World War II in appropriate venue shall be spearheaded by a program committee composed of the City Mayor’s Office, the Office for City Administration, the Public Affairs and Tourism Office, the SP, and the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office.
Also approved on second reading after publication are the proposed ordinances: Implementing synchronized system of collecting pay parking fees in all parking facilities in the City of Baguio or the ‘Park First Before Pay Ordinance’; Prescribing for the use of city and barangay roads, vacant spaces, and other designated areas as parking spaces; Institutionalizing the creation of Barangay Agriculture and Fisheries Councils in the City; and Regulating the operation of computer shops, internet shops, and internet cafés in the City.
For promotion of public health and safety amidst the Covid-19 crisis, the Baguio City Police Office and other implementing city government offices were reminded through Resolution 165, s. 2020 to strictly implement Ordinance 54, s. 1988.
Ordinance 54 declares it unlawful and punishes any person who spits, or expectorates, discharges mucus from the nose or urinates in public places.
The prohibition includes throwing, dumping, leaving, or scattering pieces of paper, peelings, cigarette or tobacco butts, soil, or any kind of refuse or garbage.
Under the ordinance, public places include parks, streets, plazas, lagoons, lakes, brooks, roads, canals, alleys, fences, walls, and inside public buildings or enclosures which are open to the public except in receptacles or containers provided for the purpose.
In Resolution 166, s. 2020, the body authorized Mayor Benjamin Magalong to sign in behalf of the city government a deed of donation for an ambulance from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
The donation is the response of PCSO to Resolution 205, s. 2019, which requested said office for a donation of two fully equipped ambulance to be used for emergency response of the Baguio City Emergency Medical Services under the City Health Services Office.