BAGUIO CITY – A proposal to relax rules in the grant of moratorium on electric and water service connections is now being considered at the city council.
The body is studying a proposed ordinance amending Ordinance No. 67 series of 2009 that would remove some of the steps spelled out in the guidelines for the screening of the applicants.
Councilor Rocky Thomas Balisong who proposed the amendment said this is to enable more residents to avail of the privilege.
"The legislative intent of the ordinance was to provide amnesty or reprieve to building owners with no building permits to have electric connections with the Benguet Electric Cooperative Inc. (BENECO) or water connections with the Baguio Water District (BWD)," Balisong noted.
"Further, ‘the connection of electric and water to buildings constructed without building permit in any private property not owned or leased by the owner of the building or in any government reservation does not mean condonation of the actuation of the building in the construction of his structure in violation of Presidential Decree No. 772 and No. 1096 or Republic Act No. 7292 and shall not prevent the authorities from demolishing said structures based on lawful grounds’."
Balisong said the ordinance also intended to provide simplified guidelines and policy in the electric or water connections and created a committee to screen and evaluate applicants but the process adopted was criticized for being too taxing.
"Many applicants find the guidelines ‘complex’, anti-poor and difficult to comply. Thus, the spirit of amnesty or reprieve has been defeated," he said.
As proposed, only the following guidelines will be followed:
*Applicants shall secure a certification from duly certified or duly licensed electrical engineer or electrical practitioner accredited by the Benguet Electric Cooperative, Inc., attesting to the safety of the electric service connection; or a certification from a plumber accredited by the Baguio Water District with respect to water connection.
*Presentation of proof of ownership (updated Tax Declaration and Real Property Assessment of the building shall be submitted).
*Personal appearance is a must (The filing of an application through a representative shall not be allowed).
*This privilege shall be applicable to the bona fide residents (not transient squatters) of the City of Baguio whose identities have been duly certified by the Punong Barangay. The Punong Barangay shall issue a barangay certfificate of minimum of one-year residency.
Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. said the city is considering extending the deadline in accepting applications for said privilege.
Vice Mayor Daniel Farinas and secretary of the mayor Ronald Perez Thursday said city realized the amnesty’s benefit to the populace and thus said adjustments are being considered.
Perez who along with city administrator Peter Fianza serves as action officer of the committee created by Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. to oversee the implementation of Ordinance No. 67 series of 2009 which implements the moratorium, said around 4,000 applications for moratorium were received when the deadline wound up last December 31.
The processing of the remaining applications is still continuing. – aileen p. refuerzo
