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City, DENR mull conduct of geologic hazard mapping

BAGUIO CITY (June 30) — The city government and the Mines and GeoSciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) plan to conduct a geologic hazard mapping of the entire city to determine the various geologically hazardous areas here and come up with suitable remedies.

Mayor Braulio Yaranon earlier requested the DENR to provide a copy of a geohazard map to guide the City Disaster Coordinating Council (CDCC) in the monitoring of critical areas during the rainy season.

In the project proposal, MGB Regional Dir. Neoman De la Cruz pointed out the need for an engineering geological and geohazard assessment of the city in view of its status as a tourist, commercial and educational center.

“Oftentimes, the effects of geologic and other natural hazards are overlooked by the developers and government planners. The 1990 Luzon earthquake that brought considerable damage to the City emphasized the need to consider geologic hazards in infrastructure development|, Cruz said.

The project is expected to cost P1.3 million. # Aileen P. Rufuerzo/PIO

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DOH asks hospitals to comply with waste disposal rules

BAGUIO CITY (June 30) — The Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH CHD) regional office urged all hospitals in the city to implement corrective measures to comply with rules on proper hospital waste management.

This, after the regional DOH CHD found that five of the six hospitals in the city, particularly the Pines City Doctors Hospital, the BCU-Sto Niño Jesus Medical Center, Baguio Medical Center, St. Louis University of the Sacred Heart and the Baguio Fil-Chinese General Hospital were not complying with some of the standards of waste disposal particularly in the handling of chemical wastes.

The inspection took place on June 17 by a group of engineers and physicians from the DOH.

CHD-CAR Director Myrna Cabotaje said the erring hospitals have been advised to address the noted deficiencies in the handling of wastes, particularly for the BMC and the Fil-Chinese hospital to line their open pits with concrete; for Sto. Niño to get a DENR permit for its off-site waste disposal; for the Fil-Chinese hospital to construct a separate septic vault for its pathological wastes; and for all hospitals to construct septic vault for chemical wastes.

The CHD-CAR will monitor the implementation of these corrective measures and will conduct regular monitoring, Cabotaje said. # Aileen P. Rufuerzo/PIO

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Probe on Yangot bribe charge urged

BAGUIO CITY (June 30) — The City Council this week ruled to ask the Office of the President and the Ombudsman to investigate bribery charges made by carnival operator Eugene Pelle against Councilor Leandro Yangot Jr.

The body decided to submit all documents and evidences in its possession to the said offices to start the investigation through a letter. Pelle was asked to submit his statement under oath but no sworn statement has been submitted to the council as of presstime.

Considering the position Yangot holds, the council decided that the appropriate bodies to conduct the investigation are the said offices.

Yangot, during deliberations, said he welcomes investigation from an independent body.

Yangot chairs the Committee on Governmental Affairs and Personnel and is a member of the Committee on Ways and Means cluster C, employment, livelihood, cooperatives, handicapped and differently-abled persons and the market, trade, and commerce. # Aileen P. Rufuerzo/PIO

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Health dep’t warns residents of dengue

BAGUIO CITY (June 30) — The Sanitation Division of the Baguio Health Department is reminding city residents to clean canals, waterways and roof gutters to remove possible breeding places of mosquitoes responsible for dengue infections.

This June, six city residents were hospitalized due to dengue, while four were admitted at the Baguio General Hospital, and one each at SLU Hospital and Pines City Doctors Hospital.

“Dengue cases are observed to increase during the rainy season. A rise in the number of cases usually starts in July, or a few days after the onset of the rainy season,” said City Health Officer Florence Reyes.

Dengue infection is a vector borne disease which may vary from simple dengue fever to a more serious hemorrhagic fever and its subsequent fatal form, the dengue shock syndrome. Dengue is transmitted by the bite of an infective female mosquito, either the Aedes aegypti (tiger mosquito) or the Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito). # Art Killip/PIO

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Increase in IRA, revenues seen

BAGUIO CITY (June 30) — Mayor Braulio Yaranon announced during the regular Ugnayang Panlungsod that the city’s Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) as released by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has increased by as much as P14 million, from P235 million in 2004 to P249 million this year.

The city’s revenue collection target for this year has nearly been reached also, as shown by reports from the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) and the City Accountant’s Office (CAO), the mayor added.

The city’s revenue collection target for this year is P658 million, whereas collection for January to April this year amounts to P342.4 million, the mayor said. The amount leaves a little more than P316 million to be collected for the next months, he added.

Earlier, the mayor expressed optimism that the city’s revenue collection shall have passed the P1 billion mark before his terms ends. # Julie Fianza/PIO

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Kidlat’s Session Road artwork to be investigated

BAGUIO CITY (June 30) — A proposed resolution directing the City Engineering Office (CEO) to investigate the artwork installation along Session Road was unanimously adopted by the City Council.

The proposal, introduced by Councilor Rocky Thomas Balisong, was drafted when pedestrians complained of some hazards in areas where the artwork is.

According to the resolution, the said art installation has not been consulted with the CEO and the necessary safety standards have not been submitted.

Necessary “adjustments” will thus be made to comply with the safety of the pedestrians traversing Session Road, the resolution stated. # via NORDIS

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