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