Mayor Benjamin Magalong vowed to sustain if not rev up the momentum gained in the implementation of the city’s strategic programs in the first six months of his administration.
In the management committee meeting on Jan. 3, the mayor urged the department heads to take stock of the programs and projects started in line with the city’s 15-point core agenda and find ways to sustain if not speed up their prosecution.
He said 2020 is a pivotal year for the city as it is when they expect to implement major projects lined up based on the agenda and to continue mapping up programs for the general improvement of the city in the coming years.
“With competence and strong leadership, we are now prepared to execute strategic solutions and programs to make things happen in 2020 and succeeding years,” the mayor said in his New Year message.
“To make Baguio better, there will be no let-up in pushing for change in the way we do our assigned tasks,” he promised.
In the mancom meeting, the mayor said beginning this year, the departments will conduct evaluations every quarter of the year to keep track of the program implementation and identify and solve problems immediately.
He said the city will target the increase of revenues by P300 million this year to improve the city’s financial standing.
This will be done through the imposition of additional fees particularly the congestion, environmental, tourist, and parking fees; and intensification of the collection of existing charges.
The city has an approved budget of P2.255 billion for this year. However it is expected to implement P5B worth of programs, projects and activities under its Annual Investment Plan using external funds.
The projects include the rehabilitation of main sewerlines and sewerage system, parks development, sidewalk repair, upgrading of slaughterhouse corral, city market modernization, construction of youth convergence center, rainwater harvesting facilities and construction of command center. – Aileen P. Refuerzo
May 30, 2023
