Magalong Envisions Market Rehab for 2020

Baguio City government hopes to start the complete market rehabilitation by the third quarter of 2020. The project aims to build a five-story market that is more convenient for both the residents and the local vendors.

​According to Councilor Maria Mylen Victoria G. Yaranon, the chair of the City Council Committee on Public Works, the project aims not to modernize the market but to build a "green building".

“Hindi naman talaga modernization. It's really to come up with a new market. Ano ba yung gusto natin sa market? Malinis. Wider stalls, wider walkways. It can be, parang green building. It can be convenient for the customers and the tenants,” Yaranon said in an interview.

(It’s not really modernization. It’s really to come up with a new market. What is it that we want from a market? Clean. Wider stalls, wider walkways. It can be something like a green building. It can be convenient for the customers and the tenants.)

​The new market is also envisioned to have facilities that would allow the building to be energy-efficient and eco-friendly.

“Some of the materials that will be demolished, we can reuse them for the inside. And then, [the building will have] rainwater harvesting [system]. Then we [will] have solar panels. We will try not to bring out the garbage. We will process the garbage within the building. We will have a solid treatment plan,” the councilor added.

The current Baguio City Wet market

​Mayor Benjamin Magalong during the Ugnayan with Mayor Benjie on February 26 said that the city aims the rehabilitation of the market to be finished by 2022 and envisions it to be one of the best markets in the country.

“We are hoping that we are able to start the construction by the third quarter of this year. Because we have a target, by 2022, I hope that we already built our market. Not the entire complex, but the market will already be built. Looking at the plans that were presented, it will be one of the best markets in the country,” Magalong said.

The construction of the new market is predicted to last for three years as it will go through four phases.

“Three years. Matagal kasi there are four phases. The first phase would be... Magsaysay, we will retain the old stone market. Yung sa harap. We will convert that into flower section for tourists. Flower section and art, for the artists. And then there’s going to be a driveway, where the jeepneys would… and then the market na itself,” Yaranon explained.

(Three years. It may take a while since there are four phases. The first phase would be… Magsaysay, we would retain the old stone market at the front. We will convert that into flower section for the tourists. Flower section-- and art, for the artists.  And then there’s going to be a driveway, where the jeepneys would [pass)] ... and then the market itself.)

Yaranon added that Mayor Magalong expects the groundbreaking to be in May or at the end of May this year.

Gov’t leans towards PPP

​Yaranon laid out different ways the city government can get the funds for the project but also clarified that the city hasn’t come up with a final decision.

​“The city has not yet really decided, as there isdifferent financing [schemes]. There are different proposals, like DBP and Landbank giving the loan. P4 for the Public-Private Partnership (PPP), it can be a joint venture... The other one is Turn Key. We can get a contractor who will spend for the whole thing, and then, we will pay for it after everything is done. Fourth is Economic and Social Enterprise,” the chairperson clarified.

​However, according to Magalong, the city government is leaning towards Public-Private Property scheme which allows the government to partner with a private company regarding the rehabilitation.

“We are now moving towards a PPP concept of rehabilitating or modernizing our market. Wala pa kaming cost, amin pa yung market, kami pa ang magmamanage. Including the parking, kami pa. So, saan pa makakahanap ng ganon. Win-win kami lahat dito,” the mayor said.

(We are now moving towards a PPP concept of rehabilitation or modernizing our market. We won’t have cost, the market will belong to us, and we will also be the one to manage. Including the parking. So, where can you find something like that. It’s a win-win for all of us.)

Proposals coming in

​According to Magalong, they already received proposals from different private entities and are still waiting for others.

​“Meron na tayong dumating na mga unsolicited proposals coming from SM and Robinson. May dalawa pa kaming hinihintay pero we will already start the evaluation,” Magalong explained.

(We have already received unsolicited proposals coming from SM and Robinsons. We are still waiting for two more [proposals], but we will already start the evaluation.)

​Yaranon added that SM proposed to give two floors of the mall to the city and the remaining three floors will be leased by the corporation.

​“Ang SM, they’re turning over to us the two floors. Which is for the market. And then, they will lease the upper floors. Five floors all in all. Plus, two basements,” Yaranon said.

​However, Yaranon also raised the concern of whether the allotted floors can accommodate 4,000 vendors.

“Kaya nga sabi ko kay Mayor, kakasya ba yung 4,000 vendors doon sa two floors. Eh ang gusto ng vendors ay mas maluwag... And then wider walkways. Kaya nga naging five floors yan eh,” the councilor explained.

(Like what I discussed with the Mayor, will the two floors be enough for the 4,000 vendors? When what the vendors want is to have wider space and wider walkways. That’s why it became five floors.)

​She also added that the city government should assure that there will be no conflict between the private entities and the local vendors.

“If we decide na i -PPP na lease, sana hindi magconflict. Like SM has a supermarket, that’s a conflict na sa market natin. Dapat wala silang supermarket. Maybe these are the things that we can do during the negotiation,” Yaranon added.

(If we decided to use the PPP lease, then I hope there will be no conflict. Like SM who has a supermarket- that's a conflict to our market. They shouldn't have a supermarket. Maybe these are the things that we can do during the negotiation.)

The Baguio Market Vendors Association (BAMARVA), through a consortium of cooperatives, also plans to submit their own proposal.

“The vendors like the market to be developed by themselves and for themselves,” the consortium said in an interview.

​Yaranon said that it would be a social enterprise where the people will invest their own money and have ownership for this.

On Corporate Takeover Claims

​In a statement released by the Tongtongan ti Umili-Cordillera Peoples Alliance on February 21, the organization opposes the rehabilitation of the market as they believe it will only harm the local vendors.

Baguio City Dry Market which consists of mostly souvenir stalls and tourist goods

​“The current scheme which entrusts the development of public facilities to a public-private partnership (PPP) will only do more harm than good… The Baguio City local government’s blind drive to privatize its market, roads, even public toilets, underscores the intense mayhem inflicted by favored corporate interests against the general public welfare. More than violating the rights of vendors to decent livelihood, consumers will also be burdened through higher prices of basic commodities should this move pushes through,” the organization said.

​Yaranon answered that the government will still be the one in control of the rent.

“If there’s a corporate, hindi naman nila control yung rent. It’s still the government. But siyempre dahil namodernize and lumaki yung stall mo, gumanda, wag naman nila i-eexpect na the same yung price na babayaran, but it would be reasonable,” Yaranon said when asked about claims of corporate takeover.

​(Even if there’s a corporate, they will not be the one in control of the rent. It’s still the government [who will]. But of course, since it’s modernized and your stall got bigger, more beautiful, I hope they do not expect that they will pay the same amount. But it would be reasonable.)

Market Vendors’ Opinion

​However, vendors argued that there are stores that need bigger spaces and basements. They worry that they will not be given enough room for their products as the spaces in the new market are assumed to be identical in sizes.

​Another concern of the vendors is about the availability of relocation sites for them once the rehabilitation starts as the construction would interrupt their source of income.

​Some vendors also requested to still pay to the city and not to the developer - a concern that Mayor Magalong has responded to.

“I just like to emphasize that the market will be owned and managed by the City government. We are going to protect the interest of our vendors,” Magalong clarified.

By: Agatha Mateo and Valerie Nuval