CITY HALL RENTS OUT FUNCTION HALLS OF CDRRM BUILDING

April 15, 2023 Metro BLISTT

The function halls of the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer (CDRRMO) building can now be rented for meetings, conventions, fora, symposia, congresses, lectures, seminars, and other similar activities. The Baguio City Council has approved on third and final reading an ordinance prescribing rules on the operation, management, and maintenance of the CDRRMO
building.

According to Councilor Fred Bagbagen, author of the ordinance, the operation and management of the CDRRM building should be maximized so that its operations will be beneficial purposely for its
maintenance, improvement, and repair. The CDRRMO building shall be primarily responsible for
the operation and management of the building in coordination with the City Mayor’s Office, City General Services Office, City Social Welfare and Development Office, City Treasury Office.

Under the ordinance, the function halls on the third and fourth floors shall be used primarily as evacuation centers during disasters. However, it shall be used for meetings, conventions, fora, symposia, congresses, lectures, seminars, and other similar activities during normal situations.
Subleasing shall not be allowed. The CDRRMO may allow the use of the building for other
purposes as long as these will not in any way cause damage to the facility.

Rental rates for the use of the function halls shall be as follows: for conventions and meetings, the rent shall be P2,500.00 for nine hours, P1,500 for five hours or less, and P300.00 for every excess hour; and for rehearsals, preparations, and setting up before meetings or conventions, the charge shall be P1,500 for 10 hours, P800.00 for five hours or less, and P200.00 for every excess hour.
As a general rule, a fraction of an hour shall be charged for the full hour.

The rent shall be inclusive of the use of 30 chairs and five tables. However, P20.00 per chair and P100.00 per table shall be charged should there be a request for additional chairs and/or tables.
All activities shall be charged P300.00 per day for the garbage fee. In cases where the the city government shortens the use of the function hall, the renter shall enjoy a rebate at the rate of
P200.00 per hour. City government sponsored activities, including those spearheaded by the
barangays, unless commercial in nature, shall be free of charge.

Activities co-sponsored by the city government, unless commercial in nature, shall be charged only 50% of the regular rates to cover water, electricity, security, and other expenses. For activities sponsored by charitable institutions, a 25% discount shall be extended. All rents collected, including donations, shall be kept in a CDRRM trust fund in the name of the City Government of Baguio. Expenses relative to the maintenance and improvements of the building shall be charged
against the said trust fund; provided, however, that major improvements shall be subject to the approval of the city council.

According to the ordinance, the rental of the building shall be on an “as-is” basis which means that security shall be the responsibility of the renter and that other services and amenities needed by the
renter such as sound system, chairs, and the like, shall be “for their own account.” The renter shall be liable for any loss and/ or damage that may be caused to the building or to any person or property.

The CDRRMO, in coordination with the City Legal Officer, shall prepare a contract that includes all the salient provisions of the ordinance and a clause exempting the city government from any liability during the rental period. The CDRRMO, being the administrator of the building, shall have the authority to evaluate, deny, or cancel any reserved activity The ordinance was signed by Mayor Benjamin Magalong on March 29, 2023.

SP/Jordan G. Habbiling