BAGUIO CITY — The Baguio Tourism Council will honor the hard-working members of the media sector with a Media Appreciation Night on August 28th. This event will coincide with the launch of the Search for Media Service and Excellence Awards, during which the selection criteria and mechanics will also be presented. This initiative was confirmed during a recent fellowship meeting held by Baguio Tourism Council Chairman Gladys Vergara and BTC G7 Sector representatives (G7-Heritage, Culture, Arts, and Media), who expressed unwavering support for Baguio’s leading media practitioners. Addressing the media managers, Vergara committed to fully supporting media concerns to uplift the welfare and well-being of those “manning the frontlines of public information.” “These are times when media work deserves grateful recognition for their selfless efforts in blazing innovative frontiers in flourishing the tourism climate,” Vergara emphasized. Vergara also endorsed the media sector’s request for the Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club (BCBC) and the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) Baguio/Benguet chapter to use the Visitors Information Center at Burnham Park as a media center for their members. These groups are currently led by BCBC President Thom Picaña and KBP’s Erickson Ferrer. Additionally, Vergara assured that the BTC would fully support and encourage promotion planning projects that the local tourism media may engage in. During the discussions, the media attendees designated Pigeon Lobien as the chair of the Search for Service and Excellence Awards to be given to outstanding media leaders and workers during the BTC General Assembly on September 23rd. Also discussed was the turnover of existing responsibilities from outgoing BTC media sub-sector representative Jordan Tablac to the new incoming representative Thom Picaña. “Let’s work together to keep the torch of responsible tourism radiant in our city,” Vergara added.

LOOK: CFO Chairperson Secretary Romulo Arugay with Mayor Benjamin Magalong and other officials inaugarates the new Commission on Filipino Overseas  Baguio Sattelite Office located at Gestdan Centrun, Bokawkan Road,Baguio City,on August 7. Photo by Zaldy Comanda

LOOK: The Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (BDRRMC)of Barangay AZKCO headed by PB Jefferson Cheng, posted the updated and detailed “GABAY SA PAGLIKAS” Maps in Kayang and Zandueta Street. This aims to help the residents, constituents and stakeholders know where to proceed incase of emergency.

BAGUIO CITY – Thirteen beautiful and talented young ladies were presented as candidates for Miss Baguio 2024, as representatives of the upcoming Baguio Day celebration on September 1 and will be humanitarians in the Miss Philippines pageant in 2025. Engr. Alec Mapalo, city tourism officer, witnessed the efficiency of the candidate’s answers during the presentation and press conference held by the media and content creators at the Venus Parkview Hotel on the night of August 3. “I have a lot of confidence and hope that we can once again achieve titles in the field of beauty pageant in national to international competition. “Our city is known as the Home of Beauty Queens” now because several of our local candidates were crowned in the international pageant,” said Mapalo. The 13 candidates include Gabrielle Gwen Ramirez, 20, of Barangay San Luis; Jewel Albert Lofstedt, 22, of Barangay Loakan Proper; Carla Stephanie Tilap, 19, of Barangay Irisan; Nikesha Shaniel Isaguirre, 18, of Barangay Camp 7; Rica May Caronongan, 22, of Barangay Apugan-Loakan; Jenelyn Kyla Daquigan, 20, of Barangay Middle Rock Quarry. Gwendoline Meliz Soriano, 25, of Barangay Bakakeng Central; Nicole Antonette Tilap, 19, of Barangay Irisan; Jasmin Anne Umaza, 22, of Barangay BGH Compound; Ma. Dawn Rozeal Castillo, 24, of Barangay Brookside; Hera Pawi, 20, of Bakakeng Norte/Sur; Eden Grace Tolingan, 22, of Barangay Dontogan and Gerryka de Guzman, 24, of Barangay Ambiong. It is known that this year’s competition has leveled up, whoever wins Miss Baguio will automatically be the city’s representative in Miss Philippines next year. “This year, we have partnered so that he will be the authorized handler for participating in the national or international pageant, because in recent years the city government has not been able to participate in the outside pageant due to the lack of budget, so it’s better now to continue our level-up in the beauty contest,” said Mapalo. The candidates will face the media, city councilors and barangay chairmen in a Glamor Night on August 9 and a Fashion Show at SM City Baguio on August 16, while the coronation night will be on August 30 at the Baguio Convention and Cultural Center.  

BAGUIO CITY – The City Tourism Office recorded 1.31 million tourist arrivals in 2023, which proves that the so-called Summer Capital remains a hit with vacationers and continues to be in the Top 5 tourist destinations since the pandemic. According to City Tourism Operations Officer Aloysius Mapalo, the highest tourist arrival in the city was in 2018 with a total of 1,760,729. In 2022, 1,042,309 tourist arrivals were recorded; 247,480 in 2021; 1,536,458 in 2019; 1,521,748 in 2017; and 1,294,906 in 2016. Mapalo clarified that these numbers only cover the data of overnight tourists reported to the city government by accredited accommodation establishments (AEs) in compliance with Ordinance No. 120-2017 or the Tourism Statistics Standards of Baguio City and excludes tourists not reported by AEs and day tourists who did not stay overnight. He said the average annual arrival number could have tripled or to 3-4 million extrapolated estimates of annual total arrivals over the past five years if the numbers of overnight stays and those not recorded because they are not officially recorded” to consider. “This means we have 20,000 to 30,000 average weekly arrivals, more than 70 percent of which occur on weekends. It can double up to 60,000 during peak season weekends usually during the summer and Christmas seasons or on long weekends,” Mapalo said. He said, in the total of 2023, less than 1 percent or 0.64 percent are foreigners and 99.36 percent are domestic tourists. “We are not really able to attract many foreign tourists. Mostly they are targeting other Cordilleran destinations and they just pass by our city,” he said. Regarding its economic impact, Mapalo said that tourism has a 20 percent average contribution to the city’s gross domestic product (GDP). He said based on the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) report, a tourist spends an average of P2,000-P4,000 per day while the average length of stay is 1.4 days. This translates to an estimate of up to P15 billion in annual gross receipts.  

By Zaldy Comanda BAGUIO CITY – Pitong katao ang iniulat na namatay sa dengue mula noong Pebrero hanggang Hulyo, habang patuloy ang pagtaas nito sa 3,011 kaso noong Agosto 1. Sa talaan ng City Health Services Office (CHSO), ang unang namatay sa dengue ay noong Pebrero habang ang iba ay nangyari lamang noong Hulyo habang patuloy ang pagtaas ng kaso nito. Ayon sa CHSO, apat sa mga nasawi ay mga bata – isang 6 na taong gulang na babae mula sa Asin Road; isang siyam na taong gulang na lalaki mula sa Barangay Irisan; isang isang taong gulang na lalaki mula sa Barangay Country Club at isang apat na taong gulang na babae mula sa Nueva Vizcaya noong Hulyo 8.   Ang iba ay isang 63 taong gulang na lalaki mula sa Barangay Loakan Proper; isang 59-anyos na lalaki mula sa Cabinet Hill-Teachers Camp at isang 38-anyos na babae mula sa Barangay Dominican-Mirador Hill. Ayon sa City Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (CESU) ng CHSO, may kabuuang 3,011 kaso ang naiulat sa lungsod mula Enero 1 hanggang Agosto 2, 2024 o may 462 porsiyentong pagtaas mula sa bilang noong nakaraang taon. Ang median na edad ng mga pasyente ay 23 taong gulang at ang pinaka-apektadong pangkat ng edad ay ang 11 hanggang 20 taong gulang at Limampu’t isang porsyento ng mga pasyente ay babae. Ang pinaka-apektadong barangay ay ang Irisan, Bakakeng Central, Asin Road, Sto. Tomas Proper, Camp 7, Gibraltar, Pinget, Loakan Proper, Pacdal, Middle Quirino Hill at Bakakeng Norte. Muling nanawagan ang CHSO sa mga residente ang mahigpit na  pagpapatupad ng mga hakbang laban sa dengue upang maiwasan ang paglaganap ng mga kaso na karaniwang nangyayari mula sa buwan ng Hunyo hanggang Oktubre. Iniutos din ni Mayor Benjamin Magalong na paigtingin ang pagpapatupad ng anti-dengue ordinance (Ordinance 66-2016)  at pagpataw ng parusa sa mga hindi sumusunod sa dengue control measures.        

Seal of Good Local Governance for barangay BAGUIO CITY — After a thorough review and assessment conducted by the DILG Baguio City Field Office (BCFO), 55 barangays in the City of Baguio passed the City level assessment on the implementation of Seal of Good Local Governance in Barangay (SGLGB) for calendar year 2024. These barangays are as follows: • AZKCO • Alfonso Tabora • Andres Bonifacio • Atok Trail • Aurora Hill Proper • Bakakeng Central • Bakakeng Norte/Sur • Camdas Subdivision • Camp 7 • Camp Allen • City Camp Central • City Camp Proper • Country Club Village • Dominican Hill-Mirador • East Bayan Park • Engineers Hill • Fairview Village • Fort Del Pilar • Gibraltar • Hillside • Holy Ghost Extension • Holy Ghost Proper • Honeymoon • Imelda R. Marcos • Imelda Village • Kabayanihan • Kias • Legarda-Burnham-Kisad • Loakan Liwanag • Loakan Proper • Lourdes Proper Subdivision • Lourdes Subdivision Extension • Lower Lourdes Subdivision • Lower Quirino Hill • Lower Rock Quarry • Magsaysay Private Road • Middle Quirino Hill • Middle Rock Quarry • MRR-Queen of Peace • Palma-Urbano • Poliwes • San Antonio Village • San Roque Village • San Vicente • Santo Tomas Proper • Scout Barrio • South Drive • Teodora Alonzo • Trancoville • Upper General Luna • Upper Market Subdivision • Upper Quezon Hill • Upper Quirino-Magsaysay • Upper Rock Quarry • West Quirino Hill The above-mentioned barangays have been endorsed to the Regional Performance Assessment Team (RPAT) to undergo regional validation and document review. After which, all regional passers shall further be endorsed to the national level for final vetting of National Passers. The list of national passers will be announced in November 2024. This year’s implementation recorded a significant increase of 45% or a total of 55 of the 128 barangays passed the city level assessment as compared to the previous year, 2023, with 38 passers only. The SGLGB, a flagship program of the DILG, is a performance assessment and recognition system designed to distinguish barangays with outstanding performance across various governance areas, namely, Financial Administration and Sustainability (FAS), Disaster Preparedness (DP), Safety, Peace and Order (SPO), Social Protection and Sensitivity (SPS), Business-Friendliness and Competitiveness (BFC), and Environmental Management (EM). The SGLGB also adopts the Online Expansive and Unified Audit (ONE AUDIT) incorporating the functionality audits of various barangay-based institutions (BBIs). This includes the following: Barangay Development Council (BDC), Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committee (BDRRMC), Barangay Peace and Order Committee (BPOC), Barangay Ecological Solid Waste Management Committee (BESWMC), Violence Against Women (VAW) Desk, Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC), and Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC). BBIs with moderate and high functionality shall be considered eligible and qualified for the assessment. Pursuant to DILG Memorandum Circular 2024-068, the DILG BCFO local government operations officers and other personnel led by City Director Millicent Cariño facilitated the overall city level assessment on May 28 to June 5, 2024 through DILG Baguio FLEKS, and continuous coaching until the submission of means of verifications (MOVs) on July 28, 2024. This is in close coordination with various City Government offices particularly the City Mayor’s Office – Special Services Division, Business Permits and Licensing Office, City Accounting Office, City Budget Office, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, City General Services Office, City Health Services Office, City Planning, Development and Sustainability Office, City Social Welfare and Development Office, and Baguio City Police Office.

By Aileen P. Refuerzo BAGUIO CITY –The Baguio City Integrated Terminal Project, a big ticket project similar to the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) modern transport hub, is underway in the city. Mayor Benjamin Magalong signs the certificate of successful negotiation with original proponent Megawide Construction Corporation represented by Jaime Raphael Feliciano dated June 28, 2024. The project aims to develop an integrated terminal along Marcos Highway that will cater to provincial buses coming from outside Baguio to serve as passenger transfer terminal to different modes of transportation going into the city. It will be implemented under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program. Pursuant to the PPP guidelines, the project will be presented to the multi-sectoral City Development Council for confirmation and then to the City Council for approval and drawing and adoption of the terms of reference. Afterwards, the project will be opened for a Swiss Challenge where other private companies will be given the chance to submit their proposals also as part of the PPP guidelines. The modern transport hub features dedicated loading and unloading bays for provincial and in-city transport, staging area, passenger waiting area with commercial offering and public parking for park-and-ride. Feliciano said their proposal offers a weather-protected terminal with passenger-friendly amenities that follow the Dept. of Transportation (DOTR)’s integrated terminal standards like 24-hour safety and security systems, person with disability (PWD) inclusive provisions, well-maintained toilets and lactation station, schedule information kiosks, ticket booths and customer service, free internet wi-fi services and baggage amenities. Their proposal also features the following: *Consolidated public utility vehicle modes to make transfers more seamless to different destination points inside and outside the city *Enhanced transport experience seen to lead to a shift toward public transport use; and *High quality facilities for transportation operators like staging areas for repair and cleaning , drivers’ lounge and canteen and electronic vehicle charging.

By Aileen P. Refuerzo BAGUIO CITY — Mayor Benjamin Magalong has backed the move of the Dept. of Trade and Industry (DTI) to halt the sale of vape products in the country. “We fully support DTI’s decision to ban online sales of vapes as part of our commitment to protecting our children from the harmful and addictive effects of vapes and other tobacco products,” the mayor said. He said this is “a crucial step in preventing these products from falling into the hands of minors and complements the city’s ongoing efforts to safeguard the health, well-being, and future of the youth.” “In fact, the suspension should remain until online selling platforms and distributors are able to implement robust age verification measures to ensure that sales are restricted to adults only,” the mayor said. The mayor thanked the DTI for the move which the department said is anchored on protecting the youth and prioritizing public health. DTI Secretary Fred Pascual on July 20, 2024 signed Department Administrative Order (DAO) No. 24-03, series of 2024 suspending the online sale of vapor products, vapor product devices, and vapor product systems on marketplaces, effective immediately.  This was anchored on Republic Act (RA) No. 11900, also known as the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act which mandates measures to prevent minors from accessing vapor products, particularly through online channels. Pascual said: “The protection of our youth is non-negotiable. The proliferation of vapor products on online marketplaces has made these harmful substances easily accessible to minors, posing a significant threat to their health and well-being. This suspension is a necessary step to curb this alarming trend.” In the city, Magalong said that while cigarette smoking incidence showed a declining trend, vaping has emerged as bigger problem especially since the vice has been attracting the younger population. “We have enforcement and we have programs to promote anti-vaping. Bakit tumataas parin? That is the challenge we are facing today. That is what we have to address and let us think outside the box while changing our strategies. Look at the numbers of people using vape. Almost 80 percent are young people and many of them are students,” the mayor shared during a vape conference last July 19, 2024. The DTI warned that “while it prefers to avoid imposing new regulations, severe consequences will result from non-compliance.” The city government through the Smoke-Free Task Force had been conducting operations to implement City Ordinance No. 34, Series of 2017 or the Smoke-Free Baguio Ordinance which also regulates the use and sale of electronic nicotine delivery products (ENDS) including vape products. Stores caught selling unauthorized vape products that are violative of the laws like those that sell products that do not contain graphic health warnings and that come in many flavors which are contrary to the law were fined based on the city ordinance.