The city council has approved Ordinance 95, s. 2021 or the “Baguio City Education Coordinating Council Ordinance,” which seeks to promote a meaningful and productive cooperation among education bodies and other essential partner institutions towards more harmonious policies, up to date standards, and aligned education outcomes for a better delivery of education services in Baguio.
The ordinance is guided by the key principle of proactive and effective collaboration among the Commission on Higher Education, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and the Department of Education, in partnership with various education stakeholders from government agencies and private institutions.
Among the mandates of the BCECC are to lead in coordinating with the various education stakeholders; develop systems or pathways of collaboration among education stakeholders; gather and evaluate suggestions and recommendations from various education stakeholders which can be used as basis for possible introduction of education related measures; and recommend to the city council legislative measures for possible adoption covering and concerning the education sector.
The BCECC shall be chaired by the mayor and co-chaired by the chairperson of the committee on education, culture, creativity, and historical research.
Positions for three vice chairpersons are allotted to basic education – the schools division superintendent of DepEd-Baguio; technical-vocational education – a representative from the Tesda-CAR; and higher education – a representative from the CHED-CAR.
The members are the chairperson of the committee on youth welfare and sports development; head of the National Youth Commission-Baguio; City Planning and Development Coordinator; a representative from the City’s School Governing Council; Baguio Parents-Teachers Association Federation president; a representative each from the basic education sector of public and private schools in the city; and two representatives each from the technical-vocational institutions and the higher education institutions in the city.
The coordinating council shall also work for a more formidable and wider range of coordination with, but not limited to, the Professional Regulation Commission, Civil Service Commission, and the Department of Labor and Employment; the industry sector; human resource management sector; and the City Character Council.
An amount of P200,000 will be allotted each year from city government sponsored DepEd general fund to serve as operational budget of the council subject to the regular accounting rules and government’s auditing system.
A copy of the ordinance was submitted to Mayor Benjamin Magalong for his signature.
Through Resolution 497, s. 2021, the city council has requested the Philippine Military Academy to allow the installation, repair, and maintenance of Internet and telephone connections at Barangays Saint Joseph Village, Fort del Pilar, Upper Market Subdivision, and other areas declared as military reservations in the city.
The appeal seeks to mediate for humanitarian consideration with PMA regarding its current stand against installation/connection of telephone and Internet lines to residences within premises/areas of its claimed military reservations.
Citing a case at Saint Joseph Village, materials delivered and ready for installation were not allowed, which is considered by many as an act prejudicial to the welfare and development of students and workers.
It is also contrary to the government’s policy in this most trying time to set aside certain restrictions that hinder or deprive people to get back on their feet and to continue living a normal life like being deprived of Internet and telephone connections, which are considered basic needs of the community, the students and workers in particular for their online classes, work, and meetings. It is also important for health emergencies amid the threat of Covid-19 virus.
Through Resolution 512, s. 2021, the body requested the Unionbank and the Land Bank operating in the city to provide additional automated teller machines and personnel to attend to the needs of their pensioner-clients.
Unionbank and Land Bank are among the depository banks or accredited partners of the Government Service Insurance System and the Social Security System where pensioners receive and withdraw their monthly pension and other benefits.
The resolution stated pensioners are in their twilight years and many are suffering from impairment, disabilities, and are unable to withstand waiting longer hours and endure long queues.
April 27, 2024
