The Saga of the Baguio City Market
October 15, 2008 by lisa
Filed under business & economy, featured
Russel Ariola has a comparison photo that he shot from, more or less, the same angle vis a vis the Stone Market. You can view more old and current photos at Baguio: The Past Meets the Present
In Baguio we tend to “force the issue,” building structures like that Museum cum Tourism Center by Sunshine Park, using the shape of a native hut, which shape is good for a single family dwelling unit but for a commercial area, which should be wide and expansive. And if we were to rebuild the Stone Building, not in its original location unless we tear down that awful-looking (there, I said it!) Maharlika Livelihood Complex but in the area where the Baguio public market stands, the original design will go very well with the location, too.
Of course, if we were to rebuild a Stone Market that is long and low, maybe the mayor is afraid that the awful structures erected in the Kayang and Hilltop areas will be exposed. Well… then remove them squatters, I say!
And of course, if the rebuilding of a Stone Market in replacement of the Maharlika Livelihood Complex or the current market is to be undertaken, the design should be deliberated upon by a group of people whose tastes are impeccable.
The report ends by saying that it seems that “the city government did manage to keep one relic from the old market – a stone eagle, which was almost thrown out as scrap” which should, of course, adorn the front of the new market with a marker containing a brief history thereof.
But Uniwide Has Won the Court Battle for the Rebuilding of the Public Market!
This prime commercial space in Baguio has been the subject of court battles involving Uniwide, which was awarded, during the time when now Congressman Mauricio Domogan was mayor, the lease contract for the development of a new city market at the rate of Php10/square meter, according to a July 2008 news report:
In Ordinance 38-1995, which contained the guidelines for the management of the construction of the new market, rent was pegged at P10 per square meter.
(Lisa: Come on! Even in 1995 that rate was way too cheap! I wonder how the parties manage to swing that sweetheart deal past the residents?)
The market vendors pursued a court battle with the city government since 1995 over whether it is legal to privatize the facility. This was brought about because, although many of the present occupants in the market are no longer the original awardees of the stalls, the subletting of these stalls has been big, no risk business for them. The city is actually earning very little from rentals while a substantial part of the rents actually paid by the current vendors is going into the pockets of private individuals
Now, this case involving Uniwide and the market vendors was decided recently in favor of Uniwide. But the court decision has suggested that the city determine Uniwide’s capacity to undertake the projects because the same report states that:
The 2008 unaudited financial statement of Uniwide shows it has a P9.8 million cash on hand and in banks, receivables amounting to P76,377,300, other assets amounting to P47,813,187 and accounts payable amounting to P2,397,275,630, loans payable at P1,684,481,691 and tax liabilities amounting to P63,531,616 or a total capital deficiency of P7,654,631,377.
Because of its deficits, Uniwide first underwent a rehabilitation plan in 2000 through signing of memorandums of agreement with several firms that payment be done partially in-kind (dacion en pago) and in cash and for unsecured creditors, convertible notes were also issued.
Oh, wow! Talk about there being huge doubts as to the capability to construct a new Baguio CIty Market at this point!
“So What to Do Next?” is next…
We just...
Lisa,
Php10/sq m?! Maybe even us can bid! I have gone many times to Baguio but i havn’t explore and didn’t even care to take a look inside that Maharlika Livelihood Center. Why? Bacause it doesn’t look like Baguio unlike the City Market and the one at Mines View. Besides, products sold at the City Market are much cheaper. Personally, I do not agree with the kind of restructuring they have in mind.It should have the look and taste of Baguio.
Lalaine, we can form a consortium! But this Uniwide deal is a done deal. It just so happens they are 7 BILLION in debt right now.
But one way for them to be able to push through with the project would be to go on joint venture with a “liquid” partner, on the strength of the contract awarded to them by the city, the same way Fil-Estate had Ayala bail them out partially with TriNoMa Mall in Quezon City and Camp John Hay here.
Which is why the present administration should do everything to stop it. (But will these guys just see it as another opportunity to make personal money?) Should Domogan win as mayor again when he finishes his last term as congressman, woe to us!
First of all, loved the make over of the page =) its just like globalization, since there is a need to change then change it is.
I have a suggestion Lisa. If you can make this page behave like the new yahoo mail where if you view your inbox only a part of your window loads. Para hindi nag loload ung buong page.Cguro static ung comment part then ung article part lang ung nagpapalit pag nag nenext or previous tapic kami.
uh…ibaloi hut?? Wow. Talk about creating things w/o putting into consideration who will use it, how it will be used, the mechanics on what will happen if a fire breaks out or an earthquake etc.
It’s not that I dislike or I don’t patronize ibaloi designs. In fact, I’m actually Full Blooded Igorot (w/c is called F.B.I. by most is not all) my self. I’m just saying that creating buildings,systems and even product are not created just because they want to represent something (like ahem ahem the ibaloi culture). It is designed in a manner that it caters to the NEEDS and WANTS of the people because it is the people who will USE these buildings and/or systems, it is the people who will CONSUME these products. They must take the people into consideration first, not the profit. (Making user centered naman po tayo.)
Hi Acid Rayne,
Good point! It is the function that determines the form, and not the personal taste of the powers that be.
I was just at a meeting with some hospitality professionals yesterday in Manila and Glenda Barretto of Via Mare commented that when she visited a certain Visayan province she was surprised to see figures of Snow White and the Dwarves adorning some brown hills, purportedly because “Mrs. Mayor thought it beautiful.” Tourism Sec. Durano had the statues removed because they were incongruous with that famous tourist attraction.
It’s the same thing for Baguio, especially since we are celebrating 100 years of history! We should acknowledge both the “Little America” and “Igorot Village” heritage of the city, but with a lot of aforethought as to functionality, and a lot of good taste in the execution of monuments. Enough of all these concrete monstrosities reflecting the vanity (or is it the lack of imagination) of their designers.
Folks in charge should not think they are Marcos-like or Imelda-like, dictatorial as far as their ideas are concerned. Good leadership means finding the right people for the right jobs, not just relatives or friends either to head Commissions or projects, but folks who are qualified, even if they are not from Baguio. Manila architects can be hired, or even foreign ones.
Whether for the students, or visitors or the residents, Baguio must be made the most beautiful city in the Philippines ONCE AGAIN.
As for the blog design tips, I like that idea. The reason I used pagination is so that you will not have to scroll all the way down. Lemme see how that “inbox thang” goes… would you know of a WordPress plugin?
Thanks
I would like the local executives to take a look how Puerto Princesa was transformed into a very clean & organized city. This can be done in Baguio.
Hi Edgar,
I so agree!
The big question is, are the local executives even wanting to clean or organize the city? Or is it to their advantage to keep it disorganized for their own reasons?
The reason I write about it or start discussions on the topic is because I do not see programs that go towards bringing back the charm of Baguio, just plans to build more flyovers, or failure to collect the garbage.
We do have new thin metal street signs and paving tiles on Session Road… but as to street lighting for the safety of the residents, more policemen, the removal of illegal vendors, the decongestion of Baguio, where are the programs to address those problems?
Even global warming is not being addressed. Thousands of trees are going to be felled!
I’m not sure if there is a plug in for wordpress that can act like a wizard for you to create a “yahoo mail” like blog but I think it is on the code part where you can “program” your blog to behave as such unfortunately I have nill experience when it comes to blog creation, HTML and XML page development so I cant give an exact code on how to do it. Sorry Lisa.
That’s perfectly alright AcidRayne, someone will either come up with one, or we’ll figure it out sooner or later (it’s fun to be an amateur blogger — no pressure)
“I would like the local executives to take a look how Puerto Princesa was transformed into a very clean & organized city. This can be done in Baguio.” -edgar garcia
no matter how good an idea is, baguio city officials won’t adapt it lest we be called copycats so they cook up their own crazy ideas just so to be called ‘orig.’ sorry but that is my impression. look at what they’re doing to burnham park.
The old Market building brings back memories,on the rightside of the building across the street where the sunshine grocery now stood was Baguio lunch where my dad and mom used to bring us for dinner.And at the back of the Old market building where the police outpost now stands,is where most of the BAguio natives together with other natives or Igorots from mountain provinces used to congregate basking on the sun wearing g-strings and a coat(americana)the ground was bloody red at that time because of the nuts they are chewing he he he.(Its so strange that up to now that area is where the natives of the cordilleras still congregate every sundays).Infront of the building is where we used to ride a 6 passenger jeepneys.In the afternoons the whole city was envelop with fogs in contrast of todays smog.Anyway Lisa thanks for posting the picture.
I haven’t seen Baguio for more than 2 decades and I am more worried than curious of the state of the city now. I used to live along Badihoy St. The public market was my daily stop. Can I still bring my family back?
Hi Edgar,
I have all the faith in the Baguio residents that they will become a little more politically and socially sophisticated in the years prior to your return, and turn things around for the city.
You see, many who live here are new settlers who are just getting accustomed to the city (some of them, of even living in a city). You can say, therefore, that this is a new society we have here. And, with good leadership, new standards can be set, or the old standards can be re-taught. Right now, everyone is only trying to “survive” instead of “live.”
But what can you do to prepare your village prior to retirement? Pressure your relatives to bring the old beauty back, invest in your future by building a home that does not stick out with tangerine or electric blue colors, visit and plant some more trees in your old home, support non-traditional politicians in 2010 who will provide you with a platform and general program of action so that there are no surprises like flyovers or tree-cutting.
we would like to invite all baguio drinkers and bar hooppers to go on our embassy goes to baguio tour presented by emperador company on november.
Hi Carlo,
It would be nice if you included some details so that the folks can mark it on their calendars…
wow….Php10/sq m……commercial?!!!!!!!
grrrrrrrr….. iba talaga nagagawa ng pera
You know Lisa, I’d like to hear Architect Raffy Chan give his opinion on this, too. Architect Chan some time back wrote a letter to the editor in the Baguio Midland Courier about the traffic problem. Made so much sense. But no one picked up on it. Hope he does here.
Neis/Vise,
The city is dripping with greed. Can you feel it?
And with the recent fires that have been hitting our beloved market, add criminality…
Hiya Resty,
Padma’s blog shows photos of the old pillars of the city market showing and is hoping that they will not be torn down to make room for a mall. All of us, residents, visitors and lovers of the City of Pines want the old market back.
Judging by its old photos Stone Market was better looking than anything the powers that be have come up with in recent decades, so if we are to rebuild, do we really want a structure built in the style of Uniwide Malls and public markets like the the one in Urdaneta?
Am starting to despair!!!
“Am starting to despair!!!” -Lisa
Can’t blame you Lisa. Our city council does not have a good track record when it comes to doing good for the city. It was a city council that approved the development of Camp John Hay. Look where that got us. Then that contract with Jadewell, we cannot even park at the Ganza parking area now. This so-called Burnham master plan, or whatever one wants to call it. The skating rink looks like one huge shanty structure now.