Magalong vs. Yaranon: Baguio Public Market Development Plan Dispute erupts again

Baguio City, Philippines - The dispute between Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong and Councilor Mylen Yaranon regarding the development plan for the Baguio City Public Market has resurfaced, following a social media post by the councilor questioning the recent public consultation on the development plan led by the mayor.

Councilor Yaranon, in a Facebook post, voiced her dissatisfaction with the consultation conducted on February 20, alleging the event of being a mere formality rather than a genuine dialogue with the public.

“LIES LIESLIES, consult the public, responsive market? ANOTHER WASTE OF TIME and money, consultation? Or just information? Ipilit da ti PPP and privatization when all the people want is the Baguio Public Market to be built by the GOVERNMENT!!! Did this public consultation listen to the people??? IPILIT DA LATTA ITI PRIVATIZATION. THAT IS THE TRUTH!!! DEFEND SM PA MORE, very transparent in defending SM!!!,” she wrote.

In response to these claims, Mayor Magalong stood firm in defending the consultation process. During his interview with the PTV-Cordillera, the Mayor said all actions taken concerning the market’s development have gone through the proper processes and have been approved by the city council.

"Very transparent kami and we are willing to face the people…It is up to the council, hindi naman mayor ang mang-aaprove dun eh, the city council parin,”the mayor relayed.

However, in a separate interview, Councilor Yaranon reiterated her concerns, claiming that although she attended the public consultation, the details were unclear, leaving her unsatisfied with the information provided.

“I have the right to say that puro kasinungalingan yan. Talagang kasinungalingan ito,” she said.

The two city officials have contrasting views on the strategy for developing the Baguio City Public Market. While the mayor advocates the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model that includes private sector participation, Councilor Yaranon, on the other hand, is against the privatization and wants to maintain the cultural heritage of the market without private business taking over.

It can be recalled that in 2020, the city government granted the Original Proponent Status (OPS) for the development of the public market to SM Prime Holdings Incorporated (SMPI), which prompted a series of public discussions and talks focused on updating the market.

The process has caused conflicts among stakeholders, such as local vendors, residents, and city officials.

As of now, there is no conclusive decision made regarding the market's development, as the project is still under negotiation phase, consultations, and awaiting additional approvals.