In a special session held on Thursday, the city council passed Ordinance 92, s. 2021, granting the request of Mayor Benjamin Magalong for the body to allot P94.2 million from the city government’s supplement budget to be used for intensified Covid-19 response.
In his letter dated Sept. 17, the mayor said financial support is needed for the construction of additional isolation and hospital facilities to address the increasing number of patients needing isolation, and for vaccine education and information efforts.
The budget was sourced from the Disaster Risk Reduction Management trust fund – P29,504,260, obligated 2018 savings – P25,702,444, obligated 2019 savings – P10,638,429, obligated prior years of all departments (2018-2019) – P25,000,257, and maintenance and other operating expenses 2021 – P3,453,996.
The ordinance provides that the fund shall be used to augment the dwindling resiliency and contingency plans for Covid-19 specifically at the community isolation unit at Sto. Niño Hospital – P18,143,761, community isolation unit at Teachers’ Camp – P16,714,494, contact tracing operations – P20,287,656, Baguio Convention Center triage – P13,415,248, Covid-19 vaccine roll-out at bakuna centers – P20,635,316, protecting and shielding the vulnerable population – P4,338,600, strengthening mass testing – P400,000, mental health care and wellness program – P201,450, and strengthening of the One Hospital Command emergency operations center – P162,864.
Meanwhile, the council endorsed, through Resolution 480, s. 2021 the “Baguio Resilient City Tourism Project” to the National Economic Development Authority for possible fund sourcing, subject to the terms and conditions to be embodied in a memorandum of agreement between the city government and the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority.
In the resolution, the city may impose a penalty for violation of water quality guidelines and general effluent standards pursuant to Department of Environment and Natural Resources Circular 2016-08 if the current condition of the river does not improve.
Under the city’s sanitation management component, the project is expected to ensure that all residents have access to safely managed sanitation services, it will improve waterway and river systems, and promote the city’s environmental integrity.
On its next session, the city council will discuss with resource persons from the Philippine Military Academy and homeowners regarding the latter’s concerns on the fencing activity being undertaken by the PMA at the boundaries of Purok Ongasan, Barangay Loakan Proper; the problem of the group of residents of Bakakeng Sur Barangay regarding their lots, and the request for exercise of power of eminent domain over private properties at interior lower Kitma, Barangay Bakakeng Central for right of way of affected residents.
Other matters to be clarified are the confirmation of memorandum of agreement with Squidpay regarding cashless and contactless payment collection services for bills, passenger fares and e-commerce transactions, the memorandum of agreement with Metro Waste Management Corporation on the management and operation of the materials recovery facility/environmental recycling system at Barangay Irisan; the lease agreement for the operation and management of a café and convenience store at the Baguio Convention Center for the period January 2021 to January 2024, and presentation by a patent owner of geo-bio method for soil stabilization.
April 20, 2024
