“With the P3-billion national funding Baguio had been allocated annually for the past three years, I was expecting that the one who replaced me would have a lot more projects to benefit the city, but it all turned out to become so many wasted opportunities.”
This was disclosed by former Baguio Representative Bernardo Vergara in the vernacular during a press conference last Thursday morning, where he said that this was what prompted him to seek re-election as congressional representative of the city for the last time, “to finish his vision for Baguio” before he finally retires from public service.
“Hindi na sana ako tatakbo para maging congressman ninyo dito sa Baguio, pero sa nakikita ko itong nakaraaang halos tatlong taon na parang walang nangyayaring maganda dito, nagpasya na akong tumakbo uli para matapos ang ating plano na mapaayos ang ating siyudad,” he explained.
“I was very disappointed by what was not being done for our city in the past almost three years despite the allocation of P3-billion for Baguio every year. It all resulted of wasted opportunities because instead of utilizing those needed funds to solve the problems of our city, they were apparently used elsewhere,” Vergara pointed out.
“Imagine all of those funds that we used to improve the main arteries to our city like Marcos Highway, Kennon and Naguilian Roads in 2010 which could have been good enough for another 10 to 15 years, binungkal, binakbak, niratrat at inaayos na naman. Nilulustay ang pondo ng Baguio para lang kumita,” he stressed.
“And as to our garbage problem, it would have been good if some funds were used to ease that problem from those funds so that the expenses for that would not come solely from our city’s coffers,” Vergara continued.
He said that in the past, he had always worked as part of a united, well-coordinated team with the local government in its effort to address Baguio’s waste management problems through long-lasting solutions and options that can achieve the city’s long-term goals.
“For my part, i have been doing my share to ease our garbage problems. Ang nakolekta kong city’s share in the Baguio City Export Processing Zone, mga P85-million, nailaan ito for the Irisan dumpsite conversion into an eco-tourism facility na magiging added tourist attraction,” Vergara added.
“From my initiative funds, i have also helped acquire 6 dump trucks to beef up the city’s daily garbage collection and disposal activity. Napondohan ko rin ang retaining wall strengthening project sa Irisan dumpsite para maiwasan ang mga aksidenteng dulot ng basura sa lugar,” he said.
“Ang basura ay problema nating lahat. Ang importante, ginagawa natin ang lahat upang mabigyan ng permanenteng solusyon ang maayos na pag-asikaso ng ating basura. Reduce, reuse, recycle – importante ang mga patakarang ito para mabawasan sa araw-araw na pag-generate natin ng basura. Ang segregation ng basura, dapat palakasin pa. We should also encourage indigenous ways of composting our garbage, from barangay to barangay. Sa bandang huli, nasa kamay natin ang tamang pag-asikaso ng ating basura, at dapat ay nabigyan ng pansin ito sa paggastos ng P3-billion annual fund na nailaan para sa ating siyudad,” Vergara added.
PRESS RELEASE
