The city government of Baguio celebrated the 126th Indepence Day celebration at the Baguio Convention and Cultural Center. City Employees and other line agencies wherein Mayor Benjamin Magalong, Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan and Mrs. Soledad Go representing Congressman Marquez Go delivered their Indepence Day Messages. Photos by Neil Clark Ongchangco

Indigenous peoples (IPs) residing within the Camp John Hay (CJH) Forest Reservation are up in arms against the imposed administrative fines on their structures with no building permits. Joselito Shontogan, the Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) of Loakan-Liwanag Barangay, brought to the attention of the Baguio City Council on June 3, 2024, that residential houses undergoing repairs in Loakan-Liwanag, Loakan Proper, and Camp 7 barangays had received notices of violation from the City Building and Architecture Office (CBAO). Additionally, they were instructed to pay an administrative fine of P10,000.00 for breaching Section 301 of the National Building Code. Loakan-Liwanag, Loakan Proper, and Camp 7 are three among the 13 barangays being eyed for segregation. Aligned with the 19 conditions imposed for the development of the John Hay Special Economic Zone, the city government has been actively working for decades to achieve a commitment from the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) concerning the segregation of the 13 barangays within the reservation. According to records of the CBAO, there have been 34 notices of violation issued across the 13 barangays in response to complaints from the CJH management. These violations are distributed as follows: four in Lucnab, 11 in Loakan-Liwanag, one in Upper Dagsian, 11 in Happy Hallow, one in Green Water, two in Camp 7, five in Country Club, and one in Scout Barrio. Shontogan mentioned that residents were also ordered to obtain building permits, further complicating matters as they are unable to establish legal ownership over their properties amid the ongoing land dispute between the IPs in the 13 barangays and the BCDA. Shontogan appealed to the city council for immediate intervention. He sought assurance that they could proceed with repairing their structures without the threat of demolition, thus avoiding potential displacement. In response to the appeal, the Baguio City Council requested a status quo from CBAO and the CJH management. The body sought the suspension of the imposition of administrative fines until jurisdictional matters are clarified. The city council further mandated Baguio IPMR Maximo Hilario Edwin Jr. to assist affected residents in negotiating the issue with proper government agencies. In a phone interview, Donald Gas-ib, head of the CBAO Investigation and Demolition Division, said dialogues with the CJH management and the affected residents along with their respective barangay officials had been set to thresh matters out. Gas-ib said the issuance of notices of violation was a response to the complaints filed by the CJH management before their office. While he understands the sentiments of the affected residents, he said it is the mandate of their office to act on complaints regarding construction of structures without building permits. He expressed hope that the issue would be resolved through diplomatic dialogues. -Jordan G. Habbiling

Councilor Leandro Yangot Jr. l has proposed an amnesty granted to applicants seeking electric and water connections in the city for a period of six months. The amnesty aims to facilitate access to these basic utilities for residents who may have missed previous amnesty periods due to limited time and additional requirements. It intends to ensure that more residents can obtain the necessary connections to electricity and water, thereby improving their living conditions and access to essential services. By facilitating access to electricity and water, the proposed measure will help improve the living conditions of residents, leading to better health, hygiene, and overall quality of life. Those who were unable to meet the requirements or deadlines in previous amnesty periods are often from marginalized or low-income groups. The amnesty seeks to provide them with another opportunity to secure essential services. Yangot said offering amnesty can encourage residents who may have been using illegal connections to regularize their access, thus improving the safety and reliability of utility services in the community. The proposed measure has been approved on first reading and referred to the city council’s Committee on Public Utilities, Transportation, and Traffic Legislation for review. Similar ordinances were enacted by the City Council in the past, with the latest being on April 25, 2016 and December 12, 2016. -Jordan G. Habbiling

BAGUIO CITY — The City Government of Baguio, through the City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO), will soon collaborate with the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Cordillera (DENR-CAR) in the combat the operation of illegal and unregulated deep wells. This joint effort will start once a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the city government, NWRB, and DENR-CAR is formalized. On June 10, 2024, the Baguio City Council passed a resolution granting Mayor Benjamin Magalong the authority to enter into a MOA with the two agencies. Once signed by all parties, the MOA will be sent back to the city council for confirmation. This cooperation is seen as beneficial for the city in terms of regulating groundwater extraction. It will specifically focus on monitoring groundwater appropriation, control, and conservation within the city’s jurisdiction, aligning with the initiative to enforce relevant national laws. Through the MOA, the city government will be able to establish cooperative areas where the city can support and enhance the roles of the national agencies. This partnership will tackle clandestine well operations through enhanced monitoring, thereby mitigating water shortages and contamination problems. The Baguio City Water Resources Board (RCWB) has been working with the NWRB to regulate groundwater extraction and manage other water-related concerns. However, surveys conducted by the BCWRB revealed a growing number of unregulated deep well and shallow well operations in the city. These illegal operations have led to a decline in underground aquifers, causing frequent water shortages. This problem manifests especially during peak tourism seasons. As of January 2024, up to 1,000 deep wells were found to be operating illegally in the city, with only 200 having permits from the NWRB. Without permits, oversight of compliance with health standards for operating deep wells is not possible. Permitted wells undergo periodic testing to ensure that water quality meets health standards. Currently, NWRB has the authority to shut down deep wells while the city government can only mandate operators to obtain permits from NWRB. The rigorous crackdown on illegal deep wells, part of this joint effort, aims to prevent a recurrence of the diarrhea outbreak earlier this year that affected over 3,000 individuals in the city. – By Jordan G.Habbiling