Tuesday, April 29, 2008 Domogan: New city charter not anti-poor By Rimaliza Opiña
THE provision in the proposed amendment to the city's charter, which aims to title all public lands in the name of the city is not anti-poor as claimed by some groups.
Instead, the assailed provision addresses the city's problem on squatting and settles boundary conflicts with neighboring municipalities. The city can assert its authority in the use of lands using as basis the land use plan, and ownership town site reservation can be easily settled and revenues will accrue to the city treasury.
The office of Baguio Representative Mauricio Domogan stressed nowhere in House Bill (HB) 2813 does it imply that it favors the wealthy in the acquisition of lands.
It stressed, once public lands are titled, the City Government could validate subdivision surveys, subdivide these for award or identify some for public use such as for road systems, school sites, health centers and greenbelt areas, among others.
Since the award of townsite reservation will be given to qualified applicants or occupants, revenues of the city will increase because payment building permits and real estate taxes will become an obligation of settlers.
Earlier, the Irisan Peoples Action for Democracy and Good Governance (Ipadegg) trooped to the City Council and asked for the conduct of a public consultation for more massive information dissemination on the contents of the amendments to the city's charter.
The group claimed amendment to the city's charter "perpetrates the wrongs committed in the past as the bill oversimplifies and may even exacerbate the already chaotic land disposition scheme in the city."
The significant amendments to HB 2813 or the Act Revising the Baguio City Charter is the titling of all lands, including the 211 titles in the name of the City Government.
Under the proposal, a selection committee headed by the mayor may dispose public lands through public bidding.
While this process appears to give equal opportunity for every Baguio resident to own parcels of land, the Ipadegg said this process would disqualify families who are already occupying lots and have introduced improvements.
