By Aileen P. Refuerzo BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Benjamin Magalong sets traffic scheme exempting senior citizens from the number coding scheme will begin its experimental run on August 19, 2024. The traffic experiment which will run for two to three months aims to determine the impact of the exemption as contained in an ordinance approved by the city council recently. The mayor said he was constrained to veto the ordinance but it does not mean that he is abandoning or objecting to the measure. “We just need time to implement a proper traffic impact study like this traffic experiment to gather data to determine its effect on our overall traffic situation,” he said. Ordinance No. 40, series of 2024 which sought to exempt motor vehicles transporting senior citizens who are residents of the city, either as driver or passengers, to and from a medical clinic, hospital or place of work from the city’s number coding scheme was approved by the city council recently. The mayor was constrained to veto the ordinance to avoid technicality as to its implementation. He noted the challenges to be faced if it will be implemented without proper study and data like how many senior citizens possess vehicles and how it will affect the traffic flow especially with the opening of classes. In his veto message transmitted to the City Council, the mayor appreciated the initiative of the city council in incorporating respect and incentives of the senior citizens who are constituents of the city as they deserve the courtesy in light of their many contributions to the society. Under the approved ordinance, in order to be exempted from the provisions of the number coding scheme, the motor vehicle must be used by a senior citizen who is a resident of the city. However, he said that the said provision might be discriminatory to other senior citizens who may not be residents of the city but who traverse through the roads on a daily or regular basis for essential and urgent purposes. Further, he said that the city’s health care facilities cater to patients who are not residents of the city or who live in localities where specialized patient care is not available and that there may also be emergency situation where the nearest adequate health facility is found in the city, Thus, the same is applied to places of work since the city is a business and education hub that employs senior citizens who are residents of neighboring localities. The ordinance provided that the exemptions are applied only when the vehicle is used to transport the senior citizens to and from a medical clinic, hospital or places of work but it is salient on what proof must be presented in order to establish that the senior citizens driving or riding the vehicle is truly en route to a medical appointment or work. For example, a senior citizen may be self-employed and in such cases, the person may not be able to present an employment identification card. Moreover, he pointed out that in other cases, clinics cater to walk-in patients who need not to set an appointment, thus, it would redound to the discretion of the enforcer to determine what can be considered as adequate proof that the senior citizen driver or passenger is travelling for medical purposes. He said that because of the varying situations, the implementation of the ordinance may be prone to confusion or arbitrary application, thus, there would be a necessity for enforcers to make inquiries to ascertain whether the exemption may be applied to an apprehended vehicle. He asserted that the inquiry need not be long but any time spent idle along a busy road will cause additional traffic and may present a safety hazard for the vehicle passengers as well as the enforcers. He urged the body to refer the ordinance to the implementing offices for the conduct of the proper traffic impact study and seek recommendations for its judicious implementation

  BAGUIO CITY – Nagpahayag ng suporta si Baguio Tourism Council chair Gladys Vergara sa pagsusulong ng charter change na binalangkas ni Mayor Benjamin Magalong, sa isinagawang Constitutional Convention (ConCon) Forum ng kilusang Pilipino Tayo, na may temang Building a Brighter Future, sa Baguio Convention and Cultural Center,noong Agosto 6. Ayon kay Vergara, ang sector ng turismo ay nakaakibat sa pagsusulong ng charter change sa mga iminumungkahing pagbabago sa mga probisyon na may kaugnayan sa awtonomiya ng lokal na pamahalaan, pamamahala, deregulasyon ng pambansang kontrol, at ang pagpapakalat ng kaunlaran mula sa mga sektor ng kalunsuran patungo sa kanayunan. Nagpahayag si Vergara ng buong suporta para sa mga lokal na inisyatiba na itinutulak, na binibigyang-diin ang kahalagahan ng epektibong desentralisasyon. “Ang pamamahala ay karapat-dapat na mapalaya mula sa pambansang kontrol upang mag-udyok ng pag-unlad nang mas mabilis, sa halip na mapigil ng burukratikong pangangasiwa,” pahayag ni Vergara. Ang forum ay sinuportahan ni Magalong, na nagsilbing panelist, kasama sina dating Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission Executive Director Atty. Eduardo Bringas, dating opisyal ng Anti-Red Tape Authority na si Gen.Carlos Quita, at Pilipino Tayo lead convenor at dating Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman Greco Belgica. “Dito sa aking pakikipaglaban sa korapsyon at itong adbokasiya ko sa good governance, alam ko na yung (constituent assembly) at people’s initiative, hindi magiging epektibo for the simple reason that there is so much distrust in the government,” pahayag ni Magalong. “Ang tanging paraan upang makuha ang suporta ng mga tao ay sa pamamagitan ng ConCon kung isasaalang-alang ang katotohanan na ang mga delegado ng ConCon ay talagang karaniwang tao.” Sinabi naman ni Atty. Bringas, na ang konteksto para sa forum sa pamamagitan ng pagtalakay sa paksa ng ideolohiyang Pilipino. Ipinaliwanag niya na bilang isang bansang nakararami sa mga Kristiyano, ang mga Pilipino ay dapat magtatag ng isang lipunan kung saan itinataguyod ang mga pagpapahalaga tulad ng katotohanan, katarungan, pagkakapantay-pantay, kalayaan, at pag-ibig. Samantala, nangatuwiran si Gen. Quita para sa pagpapalakas ng pambansang seguridad upang matugunan ang mga hamon sa depensa ng bansa. Idinagdag niya na may kagyat na pangangailangan na alisin ang red tape dahil pinipigilan nito ang pag-unlad ng ekonomiya at kahusayan sa pamamahala. Ipinaliwanag naman ni Belgica, ang kanyang kaso para sa isang constitutional convention, na iniuugnay ang kahinaan ng bansa sa maling paggamit ng mga kapangyarihan sa konstitusyon. Binigyang-diinniya ang pangangailangan ng kilusan na mangalap ng mga opinyon mula sa mga dumalo tungkol sa pagkakaroon ng constitutional convention. Nagtapos ang forum sa paglagda sa manifesto para sa reporma ng pambansang pamahalaan sa pamamagitan ng isang constitutional convention. By Zaldy Comanda      

By Mileyvonne Tiamzon BAGUIO CITY — The City Health Services Office-Smoke Free Baguio City conducted a ceremonial destruction and disposal of cigarettes and vapes at Malcom Square on August 8. The event aims to send a strong message to the people, especially the youth that the city remains committed to safeguarding lives and protecting them from the ill effects of tobacco products. In her welcoming remarks, CHSO head Dr. Celia Flor Brillantes highlighted that the city is continuously working to eliminate smoking so that people will be free from any respiratory diseases in Baguio. Committee on Health and Sanitation chairperson Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda reminded everyone to work together to make Baguio truly a Smoke-free city. “Again, let us breathe Baguio, stop smoking, and stop vaping,” Councilor Tabanda added. The 2M worth destroyed cigarettes and vapes have been confiscated by the Smoke-Free Task Force over the last years from schools and illegal vendors. The unwanted items will be disposed properly according to the guidelines of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in the disposal of hazardous waste. In attendance also are Councilor John Rhey Mananeng, CHSO Medical Officer Donnabel Panes, Public Order and Safety Division chief Daryll Longid, representatives from the Smoke-free Task Force, educational institutions-University of the Cordilleras, Saint Louis University, University of Baguio, Pines City Colleges, Transcend, Philippine Academy of Family Physicians, Philippine College of Chest Physicians, Philippine College of Occupational Medicine, Philippine Medical Association Baguio-Benguet, and Parents Against Vape, among others. Photos by Neil Clark Ongchangco