City Mayor Benjamin Magalong has expressed the city government’s all out support for the city’s agriculture sector during a consultation with its various groups and other stakeholders, Aug. 12, at the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office building spearheaded by the City Veterinary and Agriculture Office (CVAO) under Dr. Silardo Bested.
The mayor said although only about three percent of the city’s population are involved in agriculture, he stressed through innovations and technology, the quantity and quality of their products can dramatically increase.
“If tiny and industrialized Singapore with no farm lands can do it, what more with Baguio where we have more areas for agriculture?” Magalong asked, as he disclosed the city government’s aim of turning the City of Pines into Luzon’s center of innovation.
The mayor said he suggested for the conduct of the consultation since he believes that suggestions on how to improve the city’s agriculture industry should not emanate from the top but from the grassroots – its urban farmers and those engaged in aquaculture.
“From now on, the city will conduct quarterly consultations with its agricultural stakeholders so that we will know their suggestions, what their needs are and how we can be of help to them,” he said.
The next consultation is scheduled sometime in November at the same venue.
Councilor Isabelo Cosalan, chair of the city council’s committee on trade, market, commerce and agriculture, assured the participants that with their help and cooperation, he would be able to craft legislation that would benefit their sector.
CVAO senior agriculturist Marcelina Tabelin also presented her office’s present accomplishments and plans for the next three years. Present during the consultation were officials from the Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Training Institute, Bureau of Plant Industry, Department of Trade and Industry, and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
Meanwhile, a total of 839 criminal cases were filed in court by the City Prosecutor’s Office for the first half of this year after the conduct of preliminary investigations.
During the flag-raising rites at City Hall, Aug. 8, Prosecutor Bernard Allan Angeles said 265 inquest cases were also filed during the same period with no pending complaints for resolution upon the close of June this year.
Angeles disclosed filed cases include 11 murder and homicide; 13 robbery; 48 rape; 32 violence against women and children; and 22 cases pertaining to child protection laws.
During the same six-month period, he said, 188 inquest cases were referred to the City Prosecutor’s Office and that 100 of these cases involve illegal drugs.
Angeles revealed most of those involved in illegal drugs are now in jail. For his part, the mayor commended the City Prosecutor’s Office led by chief prosecutor Conrado Catral for a “job well done”.
Here’s ‘Fire and Ice’ by Robert Frost: “Some say the world will end in fire,/ Some say in ice./ From what I’ve tasted of desire/ I hold with those who favor fire./ But if it had to perish twice,/ I think I know enough of hate/ To say that for destruction ice/ is also great/ and would suffice.”
May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ continue to bless and keep us all safe.
