BAGUIO CITY – A total of 37 senior citizens took over the management of city hall on Monday, as part of the celebration of Filipino Elderly Month.
At the executive-legislative meeting in the morning, lawyer Betty Lourdes Tabanda, who served as mayor for the day, said she would issue four administrative orders, one of which was on the conduct of risk assessment in different parts of the city.
“We need to have a re-assessment of the risk areas in the city,” she told officials at the city hall, both regular and senior citizen officials for a day (SCOFAD) like her. “During Typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut), we experienced landslides in areas where there used to be none, and flooding in areas which did not usually have it, and there were also areas we monitored as landslide-prone and flooding-prone in the past but did not have it during the typhoon.”
She, however, clarified that the administrative orders she was issuing that day would still be subject to the approval of Mayor Mauricio Domogan.
Victorio Afalla became the lone district representative of Baguio for a day, replacing Congressman Mark Go for a day.
Andrew Sagandoy took over the post of Vice Mayor Edison Bilog.
Sitting as city council committee chairpersons were: Public Utilities and Transportation, Patricio Evangelista; Women, Social Services and Urban Poor, Felicidad Piquero; Urban Planning, Lands and Housing, Alexander Wasian; Tourism and Special Events, Ma. Fatima Pacis; Education, Culture and Historical Research, Loreto Calderon; Public Protection, Carol Domalsin; Laws, Fe Avila; Market, Trade and Commerce, Reynaldo Villacarlos; Employment Cooperatives and Livelihood, Shirley Arukod; Health and Sanitation, Elsie Godoy, Employment and Government Affairs and Personnel, Wilfredo Mina; Public Works, Alfredo Aberin; Barangay Affairs, Ma. Concepcion Visperas; and Sangguniang Kabataan, Clarita Soriano.
The senior citizen councilors held sessions to get approval for their respective proposed resolutions and ordinances. A week ago, they were given an orientation on their functions to inform them of the processes.
Other offices occupied by the elderly on the first day of October were: Accounting Office, City Administrator, Assessor, Auditor, Budget Officer, City Building and Architecture Office, Civil Registry Office, Dep-Ed; Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG-City Field Office), Engineers Office, City Environment and Parks Management Office, General Services Office, Health Services Office, Human Resource and Management Office, Planning and Development Office, City Secretary, City Social Welfare and Development, City Treasurer, and City Veterinary Office.
The SCOFAD kicked off the city’s activities for the Elderly Month.
Other activities are an opening program and grand parade, recognition of Baguio centenarians, awarding of outstanding senior citizens, a walk for life and games, renewal of vows of senior citizen couples, “pista sa nayon”; recognition of “Lakan at Lakambini,” and talent contests highlighting the indigenous styles of the lyrical poem and song, the “Daniw.”
All activities are anchored on the theme “Kilalanin at Parangalan: Tagapagsulong ng Karapatan ng Nakatatanda Tungo Sa Lipunang Mapagkalinga.”
Republic Act 10868, which was crafted to honor senior citizens, also declared the first week of October as the Elderly Filipino Week. (Liza Agoot/PNA)
