The Baguio City Council (Filipino: Sangguniang Panlungsod ng Baguio) is Baguio's Sangguniang Panlungsod or legislative body. The council has 15 members which is composed of 12 councilors, one ex officio member elected from the ranks of barangay (neighborhood) chairmen, one ex officio member elected from the ranks of Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) chairmen and one presiding officer. The Vice-mayor of the city is the presiding officer of the council, who is elected citywide.

Baguio City Council

Sangguniang Panlungsod ng Baguio
Type
Type
Term limits
3 terms (9 years)
Leadership
Presiding Officer
Faustino A. Olowan, PDP-Laban
Structure
Seats
Political groups
  UNA (5)
  Liberal (3)
  PDP-Laban (2)
  NUP (1)
  Nacionalista (1)
  Nonpartisan (2)
Length of term
3 years
Authority
Elections
Last election
May 13, 2019
Next election
May 9, 2022

The council is responsible for creating laws and ordinances under the city's jurisdiction. The mayor can veto proposed bills, but the council can override it with a two-thirds supermajority.

Powers, duties and functions

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The Sangguniang Panlungsod, as the legislative body of the city, is mandated by the Local Government Code of 1991 (Republic Act No. 7160) to:

  • Enact ordinances;
  • Approve resolutions;
  • Appropriate funds for the general welfare of the city and its inhabitants; and
  • Ensure the proper exercise of the corporate powers of the city as provided for under Section 22 of the Local Government Code.

Furthermore, the following duties and functions are relegated to the Sangguniang Panlungsod:

  • Approve ordinances and pass resolutions necessary for an efficient and effective city government;
  • Generate and maximize the use of resources and revenues for the development plans, program objectives and priorities of the city as provided for under section 18 of the Local Government Code of 1991, with particular attention to agro-industrial development and citywide growth and progress;
  • Enact ordinances granting franchises and authorizing the issuance of permits or licenses, upon such conditions and for such purposes intended to promote the general welfare of the inhabitants of the city but subject to the provisions of Book II of the Local Government Code of 1991;
  • Regulate activities relative to the use of land, buildings, and structures within the city in order to promote the general welfare of its inhabitants;
  • Approve ordinances which shall ensure the efficient and effective delivery of the basic services and facilities as provided for under Section 17 of the Local Government Code; and
  • Exercise such other powers and perform such other duties and functions as may be prescribed by law or ordinance.

Membership

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The city elects twelve members of the council at-large. In plurality-at-large voting, a voter may vote for up to ten candidates and the candidates with the ten highest numbers of votes are elected.[1] Barangay and SK chairs throughout the city each elect a representative to the council, for a total of 14 councilors. City-council elections are synchronized with other elections in the country, which have been held on the second Monday of May every third year since 1992.[2]

2019 - 2022 membership

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These are the members after the 2019 local elections,[3] and 2018 barangay and SK elections:

Position Name Party
Presiding Officer Faustino A. Olowan PDP–Laban
City
Councilors
Joel A. Alangsab PDP–Laban
Benny O. Bomogao UNA
Betty Lourdes F. Tabanda UNA
Elaine D. Sembrano PDP–Laban
Maria Mylen Victoria G. Yaranon Liberal
Isabelo B. Cosalan, Jr. Liberal
Francisco Roberto A. Ortega VI UNA
Arthur L. Allad-iw Liberal
Vladimir D. Cayabas UNA
Fred L. Bagbagen NUP
Lilia A. Fariñas UNA
Philian Louise Weygan-Allan Nacionalista
Ex Officio City Council Member
ABC President Michael L. Lawana Nonpartisan
SK Federation President Levy Lloyd B. Orcales Nonpartisan

IP representation

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The Baguio City Council has an Indigenous People's Mandatory Representative (IPMR) as a member in compliance with the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997. It was only on February 3, 2023 that the IPMR seat would be filled for the very first time. Maximo Hilario Edwin Bugnay Jr., was elected by the Ibaloy, Kankanaey and Kalanguya clans.[4]

Former councils

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2016-2019 Membership[5]
Position Name
Presiding Officer Edison R. Bilog
City
Councilors
Leandro B. Yangot Jr.
Edgar M. Avila
Joel A. Alangsab
Faustino A. Olowan
Elmer O. Datuin
Maria Mylen Victoria G. Yaranon
Elaine D. Sembrano
Peter C. Fianza
Lilia A. Fariñas
Arthur L. Allad-iw
Benny O. Bomogao
Roberto C. Ortega
ABC President Michael L. Lawana
SK Federation President Vac­ant

Notable members

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References

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  1. ^ Congress of the Philippines (November 6, 1987). "Republic Act No. 6636 - An Act resetting the local elections from November 9, 1987 to January 18, 1988, amending for this purpose Executive Order numbered two hundred and seventy". The Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Archived from the original on August 14, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  2. ^ "R.A. 7160". lawphil.net. The LawPhil Project. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  3. ^ "2019 NLE List of Elected City/Municipal Candidates" (PDF). Commission on Elections (Philippines). Archived (PDF) from the original on October 6, 2020.
  4. ^ Cabreza, Vincent (February 3, 2023). "Baguio's first IP representative to join city council after taking oath". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  5. ^ "2016 Certified List of Elected City/Municipal Candidates" (PDF). COMELEC.gov.ph. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  6. ^ "'Bungo,' Baguio's ex-top cop, is dead". INQUIRER.net. August 2, 2017. Retrieved August 25, 2024.