Mayor peeved over trash news

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Reinaldo Bautista, Jr. last week decried attacks to his person aired through the media on statements he made on sources of garbage and other problems in the city.

“Government officials, (and their constituents) from neighboring Benguet towns have never been the subject of my statements,” the mayor said. “They are my close friends and advisers.”

The mayor said Benguet Gov. Nestor Fongwan was an ally, specially with the BLISTT concept, bringing the city together with nearest neighbors La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay.

“It has never been my way to put blame on other people for the city’s problems, or mine more so, when it is Baguio’s call to share its blessings with neighbors in the BLIST concept,” he said. It is in the interplay of words that twisted the whole idea, Bautista, Jr. said, adding reports misquoted him while phrases were cut to so Baguio’s neighboring towns or officials would be blamed for the city’s garbage.

Sentiments from Benguet constituents have been aired through the radio, after excerpts of the mayor’s flag ceremony message found its way to sensitive ears.

The mayor made several comments on sources of excess garbage, part of about 300 tons of garbage being collected daily in the city.

He said there was a time when garbage collection was more than a hundred tons, which made the mayor wonder where the excess came from.

The mayor may have made reference for city dwellers to help lessen garbage, through segregation, recycling and re-use which was misquoted.

The BLISTT concept was born out of the need to share problems and blessings alike, the mayor said.

With the city providing tourists and neighboring towns with resources; the city as education center would trigger development in neighboring areas and Baguio could be jump off point for Cordillera tourist spots, he said. – Julie G. Fianza