ACKNOWLEDGING the need to establish and present its direction geared towards contributing to the realization of the vision and mission of the City of Baguio, the members of the City Council is set to pass a proposed resolution formally adopting their legislative agenda for CY 2016-2019.
As explained in the proposed measure and as provided in the Local Legislator’s Toolkit of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), a key indicator in determining effective local legislation is the capacity of local legislators to analyze and understand the problems and concerns of the community, combine these and exert efforts towards addressing them within the limits provided by resources that are available in the community leading to the attainment of local development. Further, the proposed resolution likewise explains that a legislative agenda is a set of priority policies and legislative measures designed to support the city’s local development priorities, specifically those defined in the city’s Executive Agenda.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Baguio recently formulated its Legislative Agenda on July 27 to 29, 2016 primarily focused in the preparation of a road map which will guide the august body in determining, planning and formulating legislative solutions on the various issues that need policy action.
After its formulation the Legislative Agenda was presented and consulted with the key stakeholders of the city in a series of public hearings and consultations in order to appraise the public on the direction that the local legislative body will undertake for the next three years. The said Legislative Agenda is divided into five sectors namely: the social development sector, the infrastructure and development sector, the environment sector, the institutional sector and the economic sector.
Proposed priority legislative measures under the social development sector include, but are not limited to, the advocacy for the creation, establishment and maintenance of a Baguio City Philharmonic Orchestra, establishment of a Baguio City State College and scholarship programs for poor but deserving students, implementation of a comprehensive Youth Leadership Training Program, establishment of a Women’s Crisis Center, introduce legislation that would comprehend and realize the promotion, respect and protection of the rights and welfare of persons with disabilities and the enactment of a comprehensive sports code ordinance for the City of Baguio.
In the infrastructure and development sector some of the priority legislative measures include the establishment of a comprehensive networking program and a centralized communication hub, the promotion of greenbelts and beautification, the installation of a solar lighting system in the central business district areas, thoroughfares, public hospitals, clinics and barangay streets, listing of heritage structures under RA 10066 and assessment study of all city infrastructures and facilities among others.
For the Institutional Sector of the Legislative Agenda this will include, among other priorities, proposal for the rationalization of barangays, freedom of information ordinance, the adoption of legislative measure to uphold democratic processes, accountability and transparency as well as a well –informed public, a comprehensive multi-sectoral development plan, a review and assessment of the development plan of the city to standardize all infrastructure projects of the city government, formation of partnerships with educational institutions to create programs for social responsibility and intensifying the voice of the people in legislation through a People’s Congress.
For the Environment Sector among those deemed as priority legislative measure include, but not limited to, programs on the Balili River System Revitalization Program, the recognition of Ancestral Land Claims of legitimate indigenous peoples of Baguio City, the launch of SOBER or the Save Our Baguio Environment and its Resources, the formulation of a framework to develop a comprehensive green city action plan in order to achieve a vision for a green Baguio, the development of water sources in the city, the creation of an executive-legislative task force to implement the newly enacted Environment Code of 2016 and a review of the clean air ordinance of the city and the establishment of an air wealth ordinance in the city.
Finally for the Economic Sector priority legislative measures will include, among others, the rehabilitation of the Asin Hydro Power Plant as an alternative power source for Baguio, re-establishing the “glory” of Baguio City as the number one tourist destination, cleanest and greenest city in the Philippines, passage of the tourism code of Baguio, prohibition on the contractualization of private employees in the city, strengthening the corporate body responsible for the marketing and promotion of Baguio as a global tourism destination highlighting its tourism products and services, preparation of a master tourism development plan for the city, return of the development of the public market to its vendors, introduce and develop the business potentials of Baguio considering the nearby towns that are beneficial to local business and local people, encourage economic gardening, establish additional areas for the conduct of night markets and a feasibility study for the eventual creation of a market development plan.