The city is set to create the Baguio City Historical Research Council (BCHR) after the approval of an ordinance authored by Councilor Vladimir Cayabas for that purpose.
In filing the ordinance, Cayabas, an educator, wants the creation of the BCHR that will “establish a firm backbone for proper accounting of Baguio City’s rich history, chronicling significant events in the city to be used as a basis for the prime movers’ future actions and decisions.”
The BCHR, according to the ordinance, “shall be tasked to protect historical facts about the city from any form of historical revisionism and to correct any distorted historical data resulting in gross miseducation and misrepresentation of cultures and peoples.”
The BCHR is also tasked to strive in the promotion of “clear understanding and genuine appreciation of the history of Baguio to further strengthen a sense of pride and unity among its locals amidst adversities.”
Said council is also tasked to be take the lead “in officially supervising the conduct of historical researches and to assess and review the existing historical records.”
The council is also responsible for consolidating all reviewed historical researches, while a custodian of all records shall be designated at the Baguio City Public Library.
The council shall also empower all concerned stakeholders in the field of historical research in the city by providing them capacity building programs.
The newly passed ordinance will also emphasize the importance of the collaboration between the city’s historical research team and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines for alignment of purposes and programs.
The BCHR shall consist of the city mayor as the chairperson; any representative from the Society of Local Historians and Historical Researchers (SLHHR) as a co-chairperson; the city planning and development coordinator as the vice-chair; with the chairperson of the Sanggunian’s Committee on Education, Culture, and Historical Research, the city budget officer, the city librarian, representatives of the academe preferably distinguished historians, selected IP Council of Elders, and representatives of Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Department of Education (DepEd),and recognized ethnic groups in the city as members.
The BCHR shall be lodged under the City Mayor’s Office with an annual budget of PhP500,000.
The ordinance has been transmitted to mayor Benjamin Magalong for his signature that will effect its implementation.