Baguio charter veto draws criticisms – BusinessWorld Online
BAGUIO CITY — President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s move to veto amendments to the revised Baguio City charter is receiving varied criticisms.
The Committee on Public Protection and Safety, Peace and Order, and the Committee on Laws, Human Rights and Justice Chairperson Jose M. Molintas said the proposed bill is seeking the correction of three sections only.
He said that House Bill No. 7406 is proposing to remove the section requiring that the city’s ordinances be reviewed by the Benguet Provincial Board, the exclusion of Camp John Hay Management from the city’s special land committee, and the repeal of section 55 expanding Bases Conversion and Development Authority’s (BCDA) land area.
The revised Baguio Charter which replaced the original 1909 Charter lapsed into law in 2022.
Councilor Isabelo Cosalan said that it is a missed opportunity as House Bill 7406 is not just for legal corrections, but for real progress.
He said it was a crucial step toward correcting clear and harmful provisions in the existing charter. He stressed that the charter is the legal foundation of how Baguio functions and grows.
“If the foundation is flawed, everything we try to build on top of it is put at risk,” he said.
Baguio Tourism Council Chairperson Gladys Vergara said the recent veto is “deeply disappointing” especially for the people who have fought for a charter that truly reflects Baguio’s autonomy, identity, and historical justice.
She added that the city charter “needs to be polished in a way that fully represents the voice of Baguio’s people, protects the land and indigenous rights, secures its people’s autonomy, and sets a clearer direction for the city’s future.” — Artemio A. Dumlao
