AS THE countdown for the May 9 synchronized national and local elections nears, Sun*Star Baguio will be coming out with the 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 congressional candidates for Baguio City in the hopes our readers will choose wisely.
Nicasio Aliping Jr.
Nicasio Aliping Jr. believes in his heart he deserves to win, “I humbly submit that I deserve a re-election,” the first termer solon said.
Not new to politics, the former city councilor is wrapping up his term as representative to the city.
“I have passed with flying colors my term as legislator,” Aliping said.
Candidly, Aliping does not deny the issues hounding him rooted in the case with the Ombudsman saying “I will not regret if I lose (due to this case) this election, my conscience is clear.”
The case is in violation of the Philippine Forestry Code for cutting, removing, gathering or collecting timber from a forest reservation, and unlawful occupation and destruction of forest and grazing lands.
“I have not been convicted, this case is not about graft and corruption, it is not in the performance of my duty,” Aliping said.
Aliping added the case does not define him as person and what he has done as a legislator adding “buo ang tiwala ng mga naniniwala sa akin.”
The Writ of Kalikasan case was filed by Baguio – Benguet Bishop Carlito Cenzon and Archbishop Socrates Villegas of the Lingayen-Dagupan Diocese in a bid to stop activities on the mountain in a bid to preserve it.
Petitioner’s alleged earth-moving activities were approved by Aliping for the opening of a road starting from Mount Kabuyao all the way down to Sitio Amliang and Sitio Bekel of Poblacion, Tuba.
The case alleges road openings to the project has disturbed the stability of the mountain slope, resulting in massive landslides which are aggravated by the rains, sediments and rocks continuously slide down, causing contamination of the Amliang dams which are being used to impound fresh spring water for distribution to residents of Baguio City and Tuba town.
Mt. Santo Tomas is now under a Temporary Environment Protection Order (TEPO).
Aliping anchors his agenda in the revisions of the City Charter which to his perspective will establish change in Sports Development, Solid Waste Management and Baguio- La Trinidad – Itogon- Tuba – Tublay (BLISTT) programs.
Aliping said a real BLISTT development will be made once the Charter is revised which will give a mandate for the city to lay solid plans for the program to translate into action.
“There will be coordination with the BLISTT areas which will spur economic growth,” the solon said.
Traffic woes in the City can also be addressed by the revisions in the City Charter as the city can be mandated to coordinate with other agencies to ease flow in the main roads utilizing the BLISTT areas for alternative spaces.
Aliping said an amendment of the Forestry Code can also be done to address the problems facing the environment today.
The incumbent city official believes a national re-greening movement has to become a law so every area will be mandated to plant trees simultaneously at a certain time.
“This should be a concerted effort and not a sole endeavor of the DENR,” Aliping adds.
Aliping is ranked among the top 10 Congressmen with the most number of Bills enacted into law and top 15 in the most number of bills approved on 3rd and final reading.
Aliping is the vice-chair of the committee on higher and technical education and vice-chair of the committee on north-Luzon quadrangle.
In his first term, Aliping authored 25 and co-authored 142 House measures, 28 of which are now Republic Acts, four awaiting action from the President and 42 are pending action from the Senate with seven measures adopted as House Resolutions.
Aliping has established the Baguio Congressman’s Social Responsibility Foundation to cater to the needs of the people and under his watch, 1,177 students benefitting from the Student Financial Assistance Program.
rMarquez Go
Not content with the way Baguio City is governed; businessman Marquez Go is gunning for the congress despite failing to win his bid for the mayoral seat in 2010 and his first congressional bid in 2013.
His main agenda is the passage of the bill in the House of Representatives for the creation of a Baguio-La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba-Tublay or BLISST Development Authority similar to the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
Go said he already consulted the personalities who introduced BLISTT as a concept of development. Adding a BLISTT Development Authority would ensure inclusive growth for the municipalities not depending on the decision of the elected leaders.
Traffic, pollution, unemployment and poverty would be addressed all in one if new opportunities are offered outside the metropolis of Baguio.
Go said even the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) of Baguio should be amended making land for commercial use will be reclassified if needed for the development of linkage roads to BLISTT towns.
“Before any bill is submitted, there shall be talks with the several sectors of BLISTT to get their thoughts. We will respect the territorial jurisdiction of each municipality,” Go explained.
He plans to build schools and develop tourism destinations in BLISTT leading to the improvement of alternate roads and linkages.
In BLISTT development, Go likewise proposes the development of low-cost housing to encourage transfer of residency outside Baguio.
For the City Charter, Go proposes an amendment that is not only focused on the functions of officials or territorial lands. “The charter should define where Baguio City is going in the next 10, 20 and 50 years with complete plans to address present social problems,” Go said.
As to better governance, he said a bill mandating LGUs to publish their budget and allotment including sources online will be proposed as well as a bill for online application of business permits.
On ancestral claims and watershed settlers, he proposes to develop a relocation site where legitimate claimants may own land and leave protected areas.
rBernardo Vergara
One of the most accomplished politicians in this part of the country, the former four-term solon and one-term mayor seeks a return to the congress.
Vergara served as congressman of Baguio for three straight terms from 1992 to 2001, and then as city mayor for another three years until 2004, before returning to the congress in 2010.
During his watch as congressman, Baguio City was recognized as the Cleanest and Greenest City in the Philippines for three consecutive years, garnering the Hall of Fame award among highly-urbanized cities nationwide.
As an engineer, Vergara said Baguio needs more diversion roads which would serve as detours for motorists to reach their destination points faster without going through downtown explaining these roads would also serve another purpose of spurring economic growth in neighboring areas.
“We need more diversion roads in our city and it was highlighted in the last two and a half years that Baguio was very infrastructure negligent. We wasted a lot of money and a lot of opportunities by building overpasses that are not being used by pedestrians but which only serve as street decorations,” he pointed out.
To promote eco-tourism and banner the city as a top destination, Vergara says a no-nonsense reforestation program anchored on bamboo propagation should be continued for the replenishment of forest resources in our watersheds.
“Eco-tourism is very important to Baguio’s growth, and aside from planting more trees like our Benguet Pine, all infrastructure projects done in Baguio should include a drainage system that efficiently works 24 hours daily and also the installation of engineering techniques to enhance soil stability on mountain sides,” he continued.
“We have a mountain city and we will need engineering knowledge and environmental awareness to see to it that the proper measures are taken to keep our community safe from floods, soil erosions, landslides and other nature-induced calamities,” Vergara pointed out.
Vergara rose from the ranks as a government engineer, capping his stint as a multi-awarded district engineer of La Union until 1978 when his achieving performance caught the eye of President Ferdinand Marcos and Tourism Secretary Jose Aspiras, he also was appointed general manager of the Philippine Tourism Authority, a position he served until 1986.
The come backing solon is also seeking to renew coordination work with the different local government units in nearby La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay including Benguet’s congressman to fully implement the BLISTT agreement for shared resources and potential benefits of the nearby Benguet municipalities.
Vergara will also seek for the expansion of benefits to colleges and tech – voch scholars to broaden the base of scholars in dire need of educational assistance.
Likewise, Vergara also hopes to fun the establishment of barangay health extension centers including the provision of a doctor, dentist, and a nurse in each barangay and expand the PhilHealth Insurance Coverage, prioritizing constituents families enrolled in the Conditional Cash Transfer program. (Jessa Mardy Polonio, Maria Elena Catajan, and Roderick Osis)