Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has vetoed a legislative bill aiming to amend specific sections of the Revised Charter of Baguio City due to its inconsistencies with current law and jurisprudence, and its potential negative impact on the authority of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).
According to Philippines News Agency, in a press briefing held at Malaca±ang, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro elaborated on the President's decision, which was officially communicated to Congress through a veto message. Castro cited the President's concerns about the bill's potential to conflict with established legal frameworks and jeopardize the powers previously granted to the BCDA.
Castro relayed the President's veto message, stating, "I am constrained to veto the bill as it is inconsistent with law and jurisprudence and it may endanger or prejudice the authority previously granted to the BCDA." She further emphasized the President's acknowledgment of the BCDA's rights and authority concerning the matter, underscoring the rationale behind the bill's veto.
The proposed legislation, known as An Act Amending Sections 23 and 52 and Repealing Section 55 of Republic Act No. 11689, aimed to amend certain administrative and land management provisions of Baguio City's charter. The proposed changes included removing the requirement for Baguio to transmit all ordinances to the Benguet Provincial Board for approval, excluding Camp John Hay Management from Baguio's Special Land Use Committee, and repealing Section 55 of the revised charter, which increased the BCDA's land area from 570 hectares to 625 hectares.
The BCDA, operating under the Office of the President, is responsible for managing former military bases and other properties, including areas in Baguio City that were previously used by the United States military and are now being repurposed for civilian use. The revised Baguio City Charter, which succeeded the 1909 charter, lapsed into law in 2022.
