Dela Rosa co-sponsors bill to revise Baguio City's 112-year old charter

SENATOR Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa on Wednesday urged his fellow senators to pass the bill aimed at revising the charter of Baguio City, which coincided with the Philippine summer capital's 112th Charter Day celebration.

Dela Rosa, who considers Baguio City as his "home in the North," said he was honored and privileged to co-sponsor House Bill No. 8882 under Committee Report No. 294, otherwise known as the "Revised Charter of the City of Baguio."

The Mindanaoan senator graduated from the Philippine Military Academy located in Baguio City in 1986.

"As I would always proudly say, isa akong tubong Davao but Baguio will always be my home in the North. I urge my dear colleagues for the earnest passage of the Revised Charter of Baguio City," he said in his co-sponsorship speech.

He said that while Baguio City has managed to adapt to changes to achieve economic stability as well as ensure the general well-being of its citizenry, he believes that most will agree that "in our present modern time, a 112-year old charter is no longer responsive to the needs of our kababayans from Baguio."

On September 1, 1909, Baguio, then a municipality of Benguet province in Northern Luzon, was declared a chartered city by virtue of Act No. 1963.

"Halos panahon pa nila American Governor Luke Wright, Architect Daniel Burnham, Colonel Lyman Kennon, at iba pa. Panahon pa ng mga Amerikano, 'ika nga," Dela Rosa noted.

"Baguio City has been popularly described as a premiere tourist destination in the Northern part of the Philippines with its cool climate, foggy hills, panoramic views, lovely flowers and good looking PMA cadets. Thus, making Baguio as one of the forefronts in boosting the country's economy through tourism," the senator said.

"But Baguio City is more than that. As I quote Mayor Benjamin Magalong, 'Baguio has been a testament of everything that has been achieved since 1909," he said further.