Know your leaders: Baguio’s vice mayoralty candidates

AS THE countdown for the May 9 synchronized national and local elections nears, Sun.Star Baguio will be coming out with a series of reports for candidates gunning for top positions in the city.

For this issue, Sun.Star Baguio will be presenting different platforms and legislative agendas of the vice mayoralty candidates in the hopes our readers will choose wisely.

Fred Bagbagen

Bagbagen was born in Bauko, Mt. Province and lived most of his life in the City, a former professor at University of Baguio College of Law and Saint Louis University College of Commerce.

Bagbagen explained the need for the autonomy, an issue he holds important being a member of the Cordillera Autonomy peace panel "We were successful which led to the Executive Order 220 which created the Cordillera Administrative Region, this is in preparation to be an autonomous region. The benefits of the Cordillera is the devolution of powers, if we are autonomous we can implement and decide what we need without the bureaucratic red tape of still going up to the national government."

Bagbagen also believes the Baguio, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba, Tublay (Blistt) concept can help solve the issues on tourism, traffic and sports development.

"The Blistt concept should be implemented because it can help us in many ways," Bagbagen stated.

Bagbagen added the Blistt concept should be backed by a legislative order and must be supported by all the Local Government Units within the area "We must put flesh to the Blistt concept because if it is properly implemented it can contribute towards distributed growth within the BLISTT," Bagbagen explained.

Bagbagen randomly suggested areas in the Blistt to become jump off points for development “Itogon can be set as an industrial zone, Sablan can be a center for education, Tuba for housing, while the rest of the areas can be utilized the other areas for tourism.”

The alderman said the BLISTT can decongest the city by attracting tourists to other municipalities which, in turn help these areas economically "One cause of traffic is congestion, especially during peak season, with the Blistt concept they can be decongested," Bagbagen said.

Bagbagen said we should prevent urban decay "We cannot squeeze Baguio, we are already densely populated and we have find alternatives and adequate solutions to prevent urban decay.”

For community empowerment, Bagbagen stated cooperatives is the beginning of successful businesses "We should encourage cooperatives in each barangay, kasi kapag mas malaki ang pondo mas magiging successful ang business. Also we should encourage the community to have backyard livelihood projects.”

The three-term city councilor added youth projects include a sports program and education on the importance of health "The sports program should include the best coaches to train the youth, grassroots sports and we must be able to provide the needed facilities for training."

Baguio has a limited space for training the youth, with this, Bagbagen thinks the Blistt can be a venue in training the youth "The program should not just include those who are in formal education but it must encompass all the youth including out of school youths."

"We should have an educational campaign on that health is wealth, bago natin isipin ang manalo ng gold sa sports dapat ispin ng mga youth na the ultimate goal is to have a healthy citizenry," Bagbagen stressed.

Bagbagen then said the environmental code should be pushed for a cleaner and greener summer capital "Although the City Charter is outdated, I still see it as an important element of the City, the charter is by any means for the people."

Bagbagen then advised the public to vote wisely and compare each candidate based on their track records "I have been a three term councilor, I am staking my track, this period we were given the license na magbuhat ng bangko, for me I am standing by my track record, lahat naman kami naging councilor, what have they done what have I done, the people should compare, and I know I have the heart of a public servant.”

rEdison Bilog

A two-year term as vice mayor of Baguio City would not suffice for Edison Bilog, who assumed the position in 2014 after the untimely demise of vice-mayor Daniel Farinas.

Bilog said his focus is to make sure that proposed tax increase by the City Assessor’s Office and the City Treasurer will not pass the city council referring to the proposed tax code that seeks to increase business taxes by an average of 10 percent, and a proposed new schedule of property values to match market values.

Three previous proposals to raise the property values were blocked by legislative body compelling the City Government to collect real estate taxes using rates set in 1995.

Bilog is campaigning against the proposed increase as he fears that the cost of house rentals and primary goods may also hike.

In the central business district, for example, lots on Session Road are still being taxed at P5,550 per square meter even as real estate brokers have been able to sell lots along the main thoroughfare for as much as P250,000 per sq.m., said city assessor Nilda Navarro earlier. The proposed increase would peg Session Road property at P120,000 per sq.m., according to the city assessor’s office.

Bilog is advocating for an increase of benefits for senior citizens by amending the Ordinance on the 20 percent discount for senior’s parking fees, as well as the development of a senior citizen’s park where elders can converge.

Movie days for seniors are also envisioned Bilog to increase by three days compared to the one-day allotment at present.

To declog roads from perennial traffic, Bilog proposes the development of a collapsible parking area to accommodate vehicles, eying the Old Auditorium and the former Jadewell area sites.

Bilog said development may be in the form of a Private and Public Partnership if the government is not able to loan funds “Implement the monorail mass transport system if possible.”

On waste, Bilog said he supports the establishment of an Engineered Sanitary Landfill (ESL) where waste technologies may be placed as well to showcase an eco-park of sustainable waste management.

For sports development, Bilog supports the proposed ordinance to increase benefits for athletes proposing provisions giving training allowances for athletes joining national and international competitions as well as law for sports facilities to be used by athletes for free.

Presently, the sports code is pending revision at the City Council.

For market development, Bilog said he is against the Uniwide contract as the company is already declared bankrupt by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). “The vendors can develop the market with the assistance of the city to finance the development.”

On public health, Bilog said Baguio should have its own public hospital where residents will be a priority lamenting the present set-up of the City, providing funds for indigent patients at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center does not guarantee inclusive benefits those in need.

Bilog wants an increased budget for medicine at the city health services office but admits a need for thorough and efficient collection of business permit tax to sustain this “We need an efficient system of collecting tax by tapping the barangay treasurers to help in the collection of taxes in the villages.”

On the City Charter, Bilog said the proposed amendment needs deeper sectoral studies and hearings before crafting a revised measure.

Bilog said he has projects spearheaded from his private funds, among them are Libeng Bigas, Libreng Botika, Free-Anti-Flu Vaccine, Dental and Medical Missions, and Libreng Tsinelas.

“The funds used for these are private funds from the practice of my profession as lawyer,” Bilog said.

rIsabelo “Popo” Cosalan

Councilor Isabelo “Poppo” Cosalan is aspiring to be elected as the second highest official in the land envisioning a city where people can pursue their dreams and live peaceful lives through the adherence and advancement of good governance.

Cosalan has volunteered to become the link between the gaps in the BLISST areas, where development is eyed to begin and flourish “I hope to fill in whatever shortcomings the BLISST had before.”

The Cosalan clan has roots in Benguet as well as the city, making the name familiar “Anak ako ng Baguio, at anak din ako ng Benguet. I belong to them. I speak their language. Among all the other candidates tayo lang ang ganun,” Cosalan said.

Cosalan stressed that for any law to be effective, that law should be implemented first with a plan formulated by a multi-sectoral forum, not just from one person “Maraming law ang hindi effective kasi walang ngipin,” the lawmaker said.

Legislation plans for the City will revolve on a participative and consultative format where in people from all walks of life – government, civil society, and private movements- should be involved believing that it’s the only way for an effective legislation to work.

Cosalan said he hopes to improve the legislative system aiming to have more people present during public hearings saying with the use of technology, the results and coverage of public consultations should have a wider dissemination through media and tri-media.

Cosalan said his family has long been serving the public for several generations. Him alone being a city councilor for almost a decade, finishing his education as well as turning simple ideas into reality, he assures the public he has already been proven and tested time and time again being an advocate of a government that is transparent, accountable, participative, ruled by law, effective and efficient, consensus oriented, equitable, inclusive and responsible.

rBetty Lourdes Tabanda

Betty Tabanda is seeking to reclaim the second highest position in the Summer Capital having been a vice mayor once from 2001 to 2004 and her first agenda is to solve the worsening traffic condition of the city.

Tabanda is proposing to take all provincial buses outside the city limit including the pedestrianization of Session road “Kung walang sasakyan, people would walk. Matutulungan yung environment, magiging healthy pa yung mga tao.”

On tourism, Tabanda sees the development of tourism sites and urges to utilize sister City ties to encourage influx of local tourists, adding ties with Japan, Korean, and even Canada would mean more international arrivals.

Tabanda also sees a need to set in place how to document exact tourism arrivals on a daily basis as statistics will show only those who stay in hotels and but reflect arrivals for transient and lodging homes.

Tabanda pushes for the adaption of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (Clup) which is still pending in the City Council, saying it will help in identify areas alienable and those non-tenantable including the strict implementation of the zoning regulation in the hope of having a well-planned urban community.

Water is made into a top concern in health and sanitation, Tabanda said the city must safeguard all lines from pollutants and at the same time closely monitor and implement the law regulating all water refilling stations.

Tabanda added aside from securing the city’s potable water, her legislative agenda will also seek to mandate all barangays in the city to have a sewer connection, tapping the Japan International Cooperation Agency in rehabilitating the Baguio Sewage Treatment Plant in North Sanitary Camp to help build and accommodate more sewer wastes in the city.

If given a chance, Tabanda also wishes to continue the regular medical check-up of senior citizens including free immunization and vaccination among the children and pregnant mothers which encompasses her social services program.

This will also include additional health centers with competent personnel and free medicines for all patients all over the city expanding the services to tie-up with the Department of Health under the Bottoms-up budgeting for anti-flu and anti–pneumonia vaccines.

Tabanda is pushing for women involvement in sports starting in the baranagy level with plans to encourage schools to intensify grassroots sports program with kinder pupils “As it is the best age to train them in sports.”

Incentives will be pushed for athletes winning in national and international competitions and at the same time augment the city’s sports facilities aside from the Baguio Athletic Bowl.

Employment and livelihood programs for women will also be among Tabanda’s priority with training opportunities from Tesda to help women have livelihood such as hair cutting, manicure, and pedicure. After the training, participants will be given free kits for their start-up business with other trainings to be done to provide women assistance and equipment for start-up business. (Danica Guieb/Jessa Mardy Polonio/Maria Elena Catajan/With reports from University of Baguio intern Sharmie Sannadan and Mariano Marcos State University interns Mary Rose Torda and Princess Camille Ann Peralta)

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