The City Council has unanimously passed Resolution No. 665, Series of 2026, granting authority to City Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong to execute an amended Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-RFO CAR) for the implementation of the P3.23-million Smart Greenhouse Project at the Baguio Botanical Garden under the National Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Program (NUPAP).
The approval follows a brief deferral during the City Council’s July 27 regular session over concerns regarding mandatory staffing commitments, unbudgeted local expenses, and rigid national contract templates.
In response to legislative requirements, City Veterinarian and Agriculture Officer Dr. Silardo B. Bested submitted a formal compliance report on July 30, 2026, delivering the project proposal, operational cost estimates, and a revised draft agreement negotiated during technical consultations with DA-NUPAP staff.
Dr. Bested’s submission provided critical clarification regarding the physical scope and funding allocation of the project.
While the P20-million master proposal (GreenGrow Baguio: Establishing Hydroponic Greenhouses in Barangays, Schools, Recreational Parks, and Health Centers for Sustainable Urban Farming) envisions the establishment of 12 hydroponic units across six barangays, three public schools, one health center, and two recreational parks, only the Single Tunnel Smart Hydroponic Greenhouse at the Botanical Garden has been approved for funding under Fiscal Year 2026.
The P3.23-million package allocates P3.0 million for automated facility infrastructure and P230,000.00 for initial agricultural supplies, while additional units at Bayan Park and community sites remain proposed for FY 2027 and subsequent years subject to fund availability.
To safeguard Baguio’s autonomy, several restrictive provisions contained in the initial national template were officially struck out from the revised MOA. Revisions removed the requirement that the city maintain no unliquidated funds with DA-RFO CAR, eliminated the mandatory alignment with the Local Agriculture and Fisheries Mechanization Plan (LAFMP) under DA Memorandum Circular No. 41 (Series of 2024), and removed rigid staffing mandates that would have compelled the city to establish a standalone Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (ABE) Division or create permanent plantilla positions within two years.
Under the agreed terms, the City Government will allocate a 168-square-meter parcel within the Botanical Garden for a 15-year period and shoulder institutional expenses for site development, land leveling, and utilities.
The DA-RFO CAR has also committed to an annual operational budget of P511,005.68 to cover essential agricultural inputs and the salary of a dedicated facility caretaker, while maintaining technical supervision under a licensed ABE engineer.
Under Resolution No. 665, the finalized MOA must be resubmitted to the Baguio City Council for formal confirmation once signed by Mayor Magalong and DA-RFO CAR Regional Executive Director Atty. Jennilyn M. Dawayan. ** Gerald Matulay (UC BA Comm Student/SP Intern
