Noy rejects amendments to Baguio City charter

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – President Aquino has rejected amendments to this city’s century-old charter, particularly on tenurial rights and land disposition.

Refusing to sign into law House Bill 3759 revising the charter of Baguio City, Aquino is returning the measure without his signature and is vetoing it.

He insisted that the objectives of the bill relating to local governmental powers are covered by the Local Government Code of 1991.

“The proposed measure impinges on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ exclusive mandate over control and supervision of alienable and disposable public lands, and runs counter to the laws governing the disposition of townsite reservations,” he said in the veto.

The President said Section 35 of the proposed amended charter is “ambiguous as to the entity that may dispose of alienable and disposable lands which are part of the townsite reservation.”

The city’s charter was enacted in 1909 under the American colonial government. Amendments to the charter were first introduced 12 years ago by then congressman, now Mayor Mauricio Domogan.