THE City Council during Monday’s regular session has approved the ordinance “GRANTING AMNESTY TO APPLICANTS FOR ELECTRIC AND WATER CONNECTIONS IN THE CITY OF BAGUIO FOR A PERIOD OF SIX MONTHS FROM APPROVAL.” It will be recalled that the council has passed an ordinance of the same subject for a period of four (4) months or from May 10, 2016 to September 10, 2016. But Councilor Faustino Olowan who introduced the said measure stated that due to the time limitation and additional requirements to avail of the amnesty, there is a need to extend the deadline of the amnesty to qualified applicants for two (2) months, which was later settled by the council to be adjusted to six months. The ordinance will still have the same provisions as the previous amnesty which include a fifty percent discount on the professional fee and labor being charged by the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers of the Philippines (IIEE) member practitioners to Indigent applicants certified as such by their respective Punong Barangays and the Office of the City Social Welfare and Development (OCSWAD). The ordinance which was based on humanitarian consideration, and to avoid the proliferation of illegal tapping and connections of water and electricity and for payment of required fees and bills, will take effect after the Mayor has signed the said ordinance and 15 days after its posting.
Residents who want to avail of the said amnesty need only these requirements to have their water or electricity connected whichever are applicable:
1) Tax Declaration under the applicant’s name. if not, must secure a waiver/authority from the registered lot owner.
2) Certificate of Non-delinquency of Tax.
3) Barangay certification attesting the following:
a) That the applicant is a resident of the place
b) That the lot/structure is not in a right of way
c) That the lot/structure is not located in waterways and Baguio Water District facilities/pipelines
d) That the lot/structure is not under high tension wires
e) That the lot/structure is not a subject to demolition or had been previously demolished.