What’s in store for Baguio in the next 3 years

Sept. 5, 2025 – Mayor Benjamin Magalong charted the city developmental direction in his last term as chief executive anchored on the vision to create a livable, inclusive and creative Baguio City by 2043.
In his State of the City Address (SOCA) delivered during the 116th Baguio City Charter Day Anniversary program on Sept. 1, 2025, the mayor spelled out strategies to advance the city’s strides towards sustainability, resiliency, good governance and innovativeness, all in line with the vision.
The mayor said the city will pursue its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations and in fact had completed its first Voluntary Local Review (VLR) in June 2025 where he said the city “showed encouraging progress in sustainable cities, climate action, education, and economic growth.”
“The VLR is a tool that helps us see clearly where we stand, where we need to improve, and where to put our investments so that no sector is left behind,” the mayor said.
The SDGs are “17 global goals adopted by the UN in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure peace and prosperity by tackling challenges like hunger, inequalities, climate change and environmental degradation.”
Another key priority is resilience. Under the Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) program, the city set its sights higher by aiming for full resilience status by 2026 or four years ahead of the global target.
“This means strengthening our ability to withstand disasters, adapt to climate risks, and protect our people in times of crisis. A crucial step in this direction is improving our communications systems, so that warnings, emergency coordination, and vital information can reach our communities quickly and reliably,” the mayor said.
To strengthen governance and ensure better service delivery, the city is also implementing the Performance Governance System (PGS), which emphasizes accountability and discipline. Workshops with the Institute for Solidarity in Asia were held last week to measure performance and align local programs with long-term goals for the next three years. The city is preparing for the next Revalida assessment in December.
The mayor said part of sustaining this roadmap is finding the right partners as the government cannot do everything alone.
“This is why we have embraced public-private partnerships as a way to bring in resources, expertise, and innovation while keeping the interests of our people at the center,” he said.
“The Intermodal Transport Terminal has been approved by the City Council and is now open for competitive challenge. The Market Redevelopment Project was recently approved by the City Development Council and has been endorsed to the City Council, while consultations continue for the Smart Urban Mobility Project. The Asin Hydro Project and Topinao Socialized Housing Project will soon enter the negotiation stage. The Creative Center proposal is under negotiations.”
On infrastructure, the mayor vowed to intensify efforts to resolve the long-standing issue of “spaghetti wires” by working with telecommunications companies and enforcement personnel.
Baguio is also pushing for food security through its Smart Farming initiative, which has introduced solar-powered hydroponics in Pinsao Proper and Dontogan, established demo farms across barangays, and set up greenhouses for strawberry production supporting both communities and schools. He said the city is now seeking national government funding to expand the program and move toward self-sufficiency.
To ensure transparency, the city is pursuing the Open Government Partnership and “taking bold steps to make government processes more open, efficient, and accountable.”
The mayor said the city also plans to adopt blockchain technology for government documents, including financial records, bidding processes, and infrastructure reports.
“By securing these through blockchain, we ensure that they cannot be tampered with and are fully accessible for public scrutiny. We are working closely with a local company to make this possible, and by next week, we will be signing a Memorandum of Agreement to formalize this partnership. This is a step toward becoming a truly transparent city, where trust between government and citizens is built on systems that guarantee integrity,” he said.
“As it is the beginning of my last term, my only hope is that we have built a Baguio that many of you can be proud of. Because this journey was never about me, nor about what I could accomplish alone. It has always been about you and the belief we share that good governance is not only possible, but necessary. If there is any credit given, it belongs to all who chose to rise above apathy, who chose to participate. As we mark this year’s Baguio Day, let us be reminded that our progress is the collective strength of a community that refused to settle for less,” the mayor said. ** Aileen P. Refuerzo