BAGUIO CITY – “Not everybody is blessed with the age I have now; for me, it is a waste of what God has lent me, that in the remaining days of my life I cannot do anything to help my neighbor. I returned to politics because I know that I can still help many people and create programs for our city,” said former City Councilor Elaine Sembrano.

Sembrano is currently a candidate for city councilor under the local party Team Maka-Baguio.

Sembrano was a City Councilor from 2007 to 2010 and held the Market, Trade, Commerce, and Agriculture committee chair position, continuing in that role from 2013 to 2016.

She also held the Health and Sanitation, Ecology, and Environment Protection committee chair position from 2016 to 2019 and the Tourism, Special Events, Parks, and Playgrounds committee chair position from 2019 to 2022.

One of Sembrano’s legacies from her past committees is the Market…. “For me, what I loved most was the market. During my time, I admit that our market was clean because I was there at five in the morning, observing the sales, especially the fish section. I suggested proper handling of the goods to ensure cleanliness from the start,” Sembrano said.

According to Sembrano, she spoke to the market leaders, who cleaned it at least once or twice a month. “We helped each other; we cleaned and flushed, because the cleanliness of our market was very important.”

“During my time, there were no trade fairs, as that would create competition among the vendors. I wanted to protect our market vendors because they paid their taxes in our city. That’s why they deserved protection.”

She said that one of his programs was the “No Plastic” Ordinance in the market. “We knew that plastic contributes to environmental deterioration.”

Some of Sembrano’s major contributions in legislation are the following:

• Provide incentives to Fast Food corporations and Restaurants in the City of Baguio that employs qualified Senior Citizens and Persons with disabilities.
• Urging the Traffic and Transportation Management Committee (TTMC) To study the implementation on a no backing up rules for heavy trucks and Buses along Buhagan Road ( Bokawkan Road ), Aspiras-PalispisHighway (Marcos Highway) and Governor Pack Road in the City of Baguio to address the traffic congestions in the said areas.
• Prohibiting Employment Discrimination against former offenders of ex-offenders who are residents of Baguio City.
• Declaring the basement of Baguio Convention Center a permanent Cultural Gallery of the purpose of strengthening our standing as members of UNESCO Creative City.
• Institutionalizing a “Session Road History and Heritage Festival in the City of Baguio“Appropriatingfunds Funds and other purposes.
• Mandating Pet owners to have their Pet wear pet diapers before entering Establishments such as Malls, Groceries, Restaurants and other similar establishment who choose to avail the ordinance.
• Amending section 31 of ordinance no.S,1016 (Environment code of the City of Baguio) To conclude provisions that would regulate the use of areaswithin Parks for health and fitness activity payment of fees by Trainers/Instructors charging fees for their use of the area, and for other purposes. Institutionalizing the Search for Best Performing Barangay in the City of Baguio provides guidelines and for other purposes.

Sembrano, known as the Ina sa Konseho, is ready to serve again and create more programs for the city of Baguio. (PR)