BAGUIO City re-electionist Councilor Mylen Yaranon is set to propose the creation of an innovations and technology committee in the city council which would deal with the formation of strategic facilities to help address the city’s needs in terms of the environment.
In the weekly Talakayan sa Environment Code of the Baguio Regreening Movement (BRM), Yaranon said with the present environmental situation of the city particularly on its air quality, water and even garbage, the creation of the innovations and technology committee may also support the environment committee.
“At present, the area of technology and innovations under a committee cannot be found. If ever our proposal to create such committee would be approved, this may fall under environment or may even be a separate committee which would focus on technology and innovations so that it would not only be used for the environment but for other purposes it may serve,” Yaranon said.
Based on Article 1, section 2 of Republic Act (RA) 7459, it declares national policies and programs that give priority to inventions and its utilization of the countries productive system and national life which would provide incentives and exclusive rights to its inventors particularly when the intention is beneficial to the people and contributes to the national development and progress.
“RA 7459 is a national law and we still do not have a local counterpart and I think it’s about time that we address that problem so we can address the needs of our local government in finding for innovative approaches through technology which would help solve our problems on our environment,” said the lady lawmaker.
Baguio Regreening Movement (BRM) chairman Erdolfo Balajadia said in case the creation of the committee would push through, nothing would be prohibited for as long as what will be done is within the republic act.
“For as long as the creation of the committee does not contradict the Republic Act, no addition nor supplement would be possible since it would be unconstitutional. The committee would only augment it and we are asking the councilor to get the committee chairmanship on environment because we believe that this is the very important committee that would find ways in solving our environment issues,” Balajadia said.
Yaranon added there are many issues on environment that needs to be looked at like for example on water, like the creeks and rivers.
The lawmaker also seeks to find solutions not only to the current air and water situation of Baguio, but the garbage problem which continues to drain the city’s finances because of its transport to a sanitary landfill outside the city.