THE BAGUIO local government is preparing to purchase several private properties within the city and neighboring towns for its socialized housing program and economic development projects.
In a statement on Thursday, the city government said it is eyeing 19 properties within Baguio, and the municipalities of La Trinidad, Tuba and Sablan.
These towns are part of the Metro Baguio area, which also includes Itogon and Tublay. A proposed law creating the MBLISTTDA — or Metropolitan Baguio City, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba, and Tublay Development Authority — was recently ratified by Congress and is now up for the President’s signature.
Baguio City City Assessor Maria Almaya Addawe said the price range of the properties under consideration range between P13 million up to P348 million.
She said the local finance committee has until the first week of July to submit a report on which among the available properties will be recommended for purchase.
The MBLISTTDA will be tasked to coordinate and regulate the medium- and long-term urban development plans for the mountain area north of the capital Manila. The agency will be built on the work of the governing council for the six localities that was set up in 2014.
Earlier this year, the National Economic and Development Authority’s Cordillera Administrative Region office conducted a series of spatial mapping workshops for the BLISTT’s planned expansion areas for settlements, production, environmental protection, and infrastructure development. — MSJ