Monday, December 18, 2006 Council okays development plan for 2005-2010
THE City Council approved for implementation the city's Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP) for 2005-2010 with good governance, peace and order, delivery of basic services to the grassroots level, environmental issues, and aggressive investment layouts on the forefront.
As stated in the plan and affirmed earlier by acting Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr., the final MTDP is the result of the job done by government offices and private entities for the benefit of Baguio's citizens.
The MTDP was finally approved after consultation and planning sessions between and among government and private entities, through the coordination of a technical working group (TWG) created for this function.
Among the issues specifically tackled in the plan were the improvement of social services, human development, health and nutrition education, poverty alleviation, access of youth to education, and judicious spending in the offices.
Human development would deal with sustaining slow population growth in the city while enhancing more employment as well as the strict implementation of laws for revitalized urban planning.
Laws that should be enforced are the National Building Code (NBC), fire safety code, traffic code and the local city land use plan.
Health and nutrition programs will also be expanded in the next five years, as with the promotion of public veterinary health, since this is vital as well to public health.
Accessible education in the city's plan would mean formal, non-formal or alternative systems that would benefit most of the city's children. Sports is also seen to be improved for the next years, as it is deemed important, specially in the schools. Social welfare for all, with consideration for children, the elderly and people with disabilities are also one of the programs included in the plan.
Basic services and alternative affordable sources of such services will also be tapped for the benefit of the citizens, the MTDP stated.
Environmental issues, including air pollution control, through the cooperation of non-government organizations (NGOs) and solid waste management programs, specifically the use of the Irisan garbage area as the interim dump facility until next year, was also discussed. Water and air quality, and land management for better environment was stated, for improvement with added efforts from all concerned.
Tourism and tourism-oriented businesses as income source of the city was considered, coupled with the preservation of the cultural, scenic and natural resources of the city.
Bautista said the plan is an "integrating tool across sectors, setting the direction for growth until 2010." It also "embodies our collective commitments to achieve the goals that we have set to accomplish," he added. (JF)
