The city council approved Ordinance 79, s. 2023 “authorizing a supplemental budget in the total amount of P65.8 million for the funding of various priority projects of the city government of Baguio.”
The fund as certified available by the Local Finance Committee is for the 23 programs/projects/activities identified in the approved fourth supplemental Annual Investment Program for 2023.
These are hauling of so-lid wastes and tipping fees – P17,400,000; improvement of the existing access road to the athletes’ quarters at the Athletic Bowl – P5,580,000; rehabilitation and improvement of barangay child development centers – P5,000,000; continuation of the improvement of a multipurpose hall at Sto. Rosario Valley – P5,000,000; road concreting and slope protection at Balacbac, Sto. Tomas Proper – P5,700,000; fencing of Atab Health Center – P2,269,000;
Rewiring of Block 3 (fish section and vegetable section) and additional lighting inside stalls at Blocks 3 and 4, City Market – P1,046,000; improvement of drainage and road access from Cypress to Marville Homes at Irisan – P3,250,000; improvement of pathway and drainage canal at Purok 5, St. Joseph Village – P1,240,000; and repair of Arboretum – P1,000,000;
Widening/clearing/restoration of the wide alley at Camp 8 – P4,000,000; construction of four material recovery facilities (MRFs) at Gibraltar, Guisad Central, Bakakeng Central, and Irisan – P2,400,000; construction of open basketball court at Country Club Village – P3,303,000; permaculture integration of the natural environment in socialized housing projects – P2,000,000; and construction of drainage canal at Purok 6, Golden Bush, Bakakeng Central – P2,000,000;
Rehabilitation of canal at Purok 7, Honeymoon-Holyghost – P300,000; continuation of the canal along Purok 4, Poliwes – P435,000; improvement of drainage system at City Camp Central – P670,000; completion of the barangay multipurpose hall and tanod outpost, Military Cut-off – P500,000; rehabilitation of dilapidated pathway at Purok 3 Extension, Happy Hallow – P887,000; city aid program to BGH indigent patients of Baguio City – P285,000; and travel and traveling allowance for all city council members – P1,600,000.
The ordinance was submitted to the office of City Mayor Benjamin Magalong for signature.
The city council through Resolution 543, s. 2023 has authorized the city mayor representing the City Government of Baguio to enter into a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Science and Technology-Cordillera for the implementation of the project “S&T Intervention for the Establishment of the Salt Iodization Plant in LGU-Baguio City”.
A funding amount of P484,772.50 under the DOST-CAR’s 2023 Local Grants-in-Aid would be downloaded to the city government for the project.
To be used in the project is a revolutionary salt iodizing machine engineered by the DOST Industrial Technology Development Institute. This is a testament to DOST’s commitment to improving the lives of the citizens through scientific advancements.
The primary objective of the machine is to facilitate the iodization process for small-scale salt processors in the city, to empower these processors to contribute to health and nutrition programs and to pave the way for potential fortified iodized salt production.
Republic Act 8172 or “An Act for Salt Iodization Nationwide” underscores the importance of iodine fortification in salt and a fundamental staple in the diets of both animals and humans. The Cordillera has been grappling with endemic iodine deficiency disorders, a situation that demands immediate attention and collaborative action.
The Salt Iodization Project being managed by the Baguio City Nutrition Multipurpose Cooperative since 1996 has been using the ground floor of the City Health Services Office annex building as allowed in Resolution 341, s. 2022.
In separate Resolution 562, s. 2023, the city mayor was also authorized to enter into a MOA with the DOST-Food and Nutrition Research Institute for the establishment of a partnership in providing assistance in the conduct of risk-based inspection among food service establishments through the use of DOST-FNRI’s Food Safety Grading System as a strategy to reduce the incidence of food and waterborne diseases within the city.
Both MOAs must be submitted to the city council for confirmation before the execution of the projects.
Relative to easing and solving the current heavy traffic situation in the city, the city council has approved the resolution of requests intended for adjustment from old traffic policies and strategies that are no longer applicable these days.
These are for the Traffic and Transportation Management Division-City Engineering Office to provide within two months a report and recommendation on whether or not it is possible to revert to the two-way road along T.M. Kalaw Street, Harrison Road, Baguio Convention and Cultural Center, and Governor Pack Road;
For the TTMD-CEO and the Traffic Enforcement Unit-Baguio City Police Office to furnish its reports and recommendations on the traffic experiments conducted within the city in compliance to Ordinance 21, s. 2011; for the TTMD-CEO to remove the road barriers installed along Harrison Road going to Lake Drive, Burnham Park to ease traffic congestion; and for the CEO to submit a map showing the relative position of the SM properties in the Original Certificate of Title No. 1 for planning purposes, and to conduct a survey over a parcel of lot where Teleperformance Baguio is located to determine city-owned lots.
In collective resolutions, the body congratulated and commended residents and constituents of the city for their excellence and meritorious achievement that contributed to the fame and pride of the city
In Resolution 565, s. 2023, Sarah Genese Cabilangan, a graduate of Saint Louis University, is commended for ranking seventh with an impressive rating of 85.35 percent in the August 2023 Licensure Examination for Mining Engineers.
Commended in Resolution 566, s. 2023 is Aizel Torchangon Salagma from the University of Baguio for placing second with an average rating of 83.70 percent in the August 2023 Sanitary Engineers Examination.
In Resolution 568, s. 2023, Engineer Jurgen Jan Lopez Lagdao of the Saint Louis University is commended for ranking sixth place in the September 2023 Electrical Engineers Licensure Examination.
Also commended through Resolution 547, s. 2023 is Dr. Joselito Gutierrez, executive assistant to the University President, SLU, for being conferred the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) Catholic School Heroes Award 2022.
April 29, 2024
