The General Welfare

April 4, 2022 Sideglance

The 1987 Philippine Constitution provides in Section 5 of its provisions that, “The maintenance of peace and order, the protection of life, liberty, and property, and promotion of the general welfare is essential for the enjoyment by all the people of the blessings of democracy”.

The bible of local government units in the country, Republic Act 7160 otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991, also contains a provision relative to general welfare and in Section 16 provides, “Every local government unit shall exercise the powers expressly granted, those necessarily implied therefrom, as well as powers necessary, appropriate, or incidental for its efficient and effective governance, and those which are essential to the promotion of the general welfare.

Within their respective territorial jurisdictions, local government units shall ensure and support, among other things, the preservation and enrichment of culture, promote health and safety, enhance the right of the people to a balanced ecology, encourage and support the development of appropriate and self-reliant scientific and technological capabilities, improve public morals, enhance economically prosperity and social justice, promote full employment among their residents, maintain peace and order, and preserve the comfort and convenience of their inhabitants.

General welfare basically means ‘the concern of the government for the health, peace, morality and safety of its citizens’.

The synonyms for general welfare includes public welfare, common welfare, general well-being, over-all welfare, common good, general good, public good, common prosperity.

Now when the government, or more specifically the Local Government of the City of Baguio, endeavors to pursue a certain project or program it should always be understood that this is for the general welfare of the people of the community.

Take for instance the plan and project of the city government to construct a shed, a bike lane, landscaping and other infrastructure along Session Road. This project along with other projects of the city is definitely aligned with the Speeding Up Government Actions; Revitalizing the

Environment; Innovating Peace and Order Condition; Aggressive Traffic Management; Responsive Education Programs; Empowering the Youth; Expanding Health and Social Services; Responsible Tourism; Enlivened Culture, Arts, Crafts, and Heritage; Market Modernization; Efficient Disaster Management; Empowered and Accountable Barangay Governance; Strengthened Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Services; Poverty Reduction; Resolution of Indigenous People Land Issues and Happiness.

Of course all of these core agendas of the city will be necessarily aligned with that of the general welfare clause provided in the constitution and the local government code.

Of late however, there has been some opposition for the project to improve Session road and address some concerns that have affected certain segments of society.

Some have expressed the opinion that this kind of project is being pursued, during this period of elections, with the sinister design to allegedly compromise the performance of the city mayor or that there is public disapproval for this type of development along Session Road.

In other words they are making it appear that the project is anti-people. Of course nothing can be further from the truth.

Obviously if you look at how the city government is slowly developing the city right now it is actually geared towards and aligned with protecting the health and safety of the people as well as a balanced ecology in order to provide a better Baguio for future generations.

The project scope for Session Road as explained by the City Engineering Office is basically with the end in view of “realizing the future Session Road as a complete street promoting safe mobility and leisure promenade for all”.

Going by that explanation there is that big possibility that in the near future Session road will be completely pedestrianized. Preserving the past is good but change will ultimately happen whether one is prepared for it or not. So to those opposing the development project along Session Road think of the ramifications of your objection and whether this is aligned with the general welfare of the people of the city.