Considered as the show window of the city, the market is endowed with fertile economic

activity, where different kinds of enterprising individuals stay and income-generating

activities are undertaken. Public Markets exist to fulfill a public purpose, showcase a
communitys unique character and culture while serving its everyday shopping needs.
The Public Market provides a venue of product and cultural exchange where diverse
people meet and socialize. Perhaps more so then was the main center of town
commerce and trade. The exchange between and among diverse cultures implies that
one or the other or both is changed or enriched by the others culture, eventually
enriching the culture of the community and ultimately society.
In the City of Baguio, The market became the center of trade of Kafagway even before
Baguio became a chartered city. It has always been the area where products from the
lowlands and products from the highland areas of the old Mountain Provinces were
traded among local buyers as well as the viajeros. The Baguio City Public Market was
formally established in 1913 and covered by a transfer certificate of title for an area of
77,770 square meters. At present Baguio Public Market is still a bustling place where
locals and tourists stroll and purchase products produced in and around the city.
Though considered as some as one of the best public markets in the Philippines the
Baguio City public Market is losing its cultural identity which gives the users the
experience

Tourists come to Baguio because of many reasons, but a trip to the city without a stroll and purchase
at the city market is as good as not visiting Baguio at all.
Considered as the show window of the city, the market is endowed with fertile economic activity,
where different kinds of enterprising individuals stay and income-generating activities are
undertaken.
Undeniably, the market is also riddled with problems, like unmanageable solid wastes, theft and
robbery cases, illegal ven-ding, incidents of physical injuries, zoning problems, corruption, and the
never ending problem that the city government continues to face: its development.
A short history
The existing city market became the center of trade of Kafagway even before Baguio became a
chartered city. It has always been the area where products from the lowlands and products from the
highland areas of the old Mountain Provinces were traded among local buyers as well as the viajeros.
It was formally established as the Baguio City Public Market in 1913 and covered by a transfer
certificate of title for an area of 77,770 square meters.
In the 1960s, an area of 4,672 sq. m. was leased to the Baguio Hilltop Enterprises, where the Hilltop
Hotel used to stand; while 5,000 sq. m. was leased to the Human Settlement Development
Corporation, where the Maharlika Livelihood Center and Marbay presently stand.
At present, the city market occupies only 61,707 sq. m.
From the early days of its creation as a trading area, the market was divided into blocks and sections
virtually imposing a zoning of the different products sold therein. There emerged the blocks 1 to 4, the
hangar market, footwear section, caldero section, tobacco section, dry goods section, sari-sari section,
rice section, fruit section, hot cake section, flower section, etc.
In 1974, the city council passed an ordinance to set order in the conduct of businesses in the entire
city including the city market. The ordinance aimed to implement rules and regulations governing the
conduct and operation of businesses, trades, amusements, and other enterprises in the City of Baguio
and prescribed permit fees, taxes, and other fees and charges.
This same ordinance detailed the prescribed rules and regulations governing the administration and
operation of public markets in the city, and prescribed the rates and rentals for fixed stalls, booths,
rooms, and other fees. The ordinance also empowered the city treasurer to have direct and immediate

supervision, administration, and control over public markets and the personnel implementing the rules
in markets and trade areas.
The 1974 rules governing the market were revised in 1986, which were further revised through a tax
ordinance in 2001, and most recently, in 2007.
Fire incidents at the market
All efforts to make the market beautiful by implementing zoning and tax ordinances have been
affected by a series of fires over the decades.
In the Jan. 10, 1960 issue of the Baguio Midland Courier, the headline written by Bert Floresca and
Romeo Florendo says, Arson seen in P1.5M fire (four blocks razed in 4-hour blaze).
The news story revealed the destruction of more than P1.5-million worth of property and rendered
more than 120 families homeless, which according to investigation then conducted by the detective
bureau of the Baguio police department, was the result of arson. The fire incident which happened at
3:30 in the morning was well responded by the Baguio firemen, but they were virtually helpless
because of lack of adequate firefighting equipment, aggravated by the lack of water due to low water
pressure. The dawn fire incident gutted what Baguioites then called as the burned area and where the
Baguio Centermall presently stands.
A fire again occurred in February 1970, which affected the stone market built in 1917. An estimated
damage of P2 M was reported. Like the previous incident, malfunctioning equipment was one of the
causes of the delayed arrival of the fire truck.
Midlands Feb. 22, 1970 issue stated that the fire was reported by a policeman on beat to have started
from the back of the stone market building. He told investigators that he noticed electric wire sparks
from some stalls adjacent to the stone market building. The policeman rushed to the fire department
to sound the alarm while his companion turned off the electric switch in the area and later called for
help through the local radio stations. Fifteen minutes after the alarm sounded, the city fire truck
arrived at the scene, although the city fire department was just a few meters away. Capt. Avelino
Noble, then city fire chief, told the city mayor and investigators that the fire truck would not start
because of a dead battery and it had to be pushed.
In its editorial in the same issue entitled Calamitous Fire, the Midlanddiscussed how unsafe the
downtown area is from destructive fire because the local fire
department is practically helpless in preventing the spread of blazing flame.
Another incident on March 15, 1970 set the dry goods section of the market on fire caused by faulty
electrical wiring.
Two decades since then, as published in the Sept. 6, 1992 issue of theMidland, at the dawn of Sept. 1
a fire incident brought the market ablaze like a giant birthday candle for Baguios Charter Day
celebration. This incident damaged the vintage 1917 vegetable and fruit section building estimated to
be worth around P10 M. The fire incident was caused by faulty and antiquated electrical wiring.
In recent times, the sari sari section of the market was razed on April 11, 2008 just after the Holy
Week celebration and again last March 2 at around 3 a.m., the fruit and vegetable section adjacent to
the recently burned portion was also razed to the ground. The ultimate causes for these fires have yet
to be determined.
Due to the unorganized placement of products in the market, aggravated by the limited if not small
alleys, the market has recently been declared as a fire hazard. Added to this is the fact that many
have inhabited the market as either their permanent or temporary residence. While sleeping inside the
market has been disallowed and this rule has been made known, still, a lot of vendors blatantly
disobey the rules and regulations, which makes the market more prone to fire.
Being a fire zone, ready to go up in flames any time, the citys attempt to insure the market never

prospered. This status of the market made it ineligible to be insured for any kind of peril.
This year, after the old stone market was gutted by fire, the city government took the initiative to
purchase new equipment which include breathing apparatus and fire proof coats and boots that would
enable firefighters to enter an enclosure without endangering themselves. Additional pieces of
equipment were provided by the city government to the fire office as it won the National Kalasag
Award.
Earlier, during the administrations of mayors Bernardo Vergara and Mauricio Domogan, additional
vehicles were also purchased by the city government to address the lack of fire trucks.
Aside from the governments effort, various non-government organizations, firms, and businesses
have also established their own fire offices and bought fire trucks, that augment the resources of the
city.
The fire office and the city government have also penned an agreement with the water delivery truck
owners to provide assistance and water in times of fire incidents.
Market development, Uniwide enters the picture
Every time the market is damaged due to fires, the city often comes to the rescue to repair, rebuild,
and remodel the damaged portions. For a number of times, millions of pesos have been appropriated
to fund small developments just to be able to bring back the displaced traders to their original selling
areas and continue with their livelihood.
From a previously organized market where one simply needed to proceed to one area to find a
particular commodity, the market has become topsy turvy; a disorganized place where stalls selling
fish are adjacent to awagwagan, or to any kind of product.
Due to this, the market has been tagged as a danger zone meaning, it can cause a major disaster
that could affect thousands of persons and destruction to billions worth of properties.
In 1992, the city council through a resolution requested the city planning office to prepare an
integrated development plan of the entire city market so that any construction that will be made will
be in accordance with the plan, for the purpose of establishing order and without destroying the
nature of the city market as a public market.
The study identified five problems, from constricted roads to health and sanitation, as well as legal
issues concerning ambulant vendors, and even peace and order.
Ordinance 038 of 1995 was later approved, which provides for the guidelines for the development of
the market through a design, build, and lease scheme. A subsequent ordinance was approved in the
same year for the drafting of the guidelines for the bidding based on the mode of credit financing or
such other investment arrangements as my be proposed by the city development council. The bidding
process for the development started in 1995.
Uniwide won during the said bidding. This, however, led to numerous cases filed by market
stakeholders against the city government questioning legalities of the resolutions and ordinances
which led to Uniwides entry into the picture.
Thirteen years after, the trial court in the city came up with its judgment declaring legal the award to
Uniwide of the market development. Such decision was elevated to the appellate court and is pending
up to the present.
Market Summit
Various political administrations have passed and politicos promises were heard like broken records,
but order at the market was very far from being resolved. Pleas from market stakeholders and
residents alike to develop the market have fallen on deaf ears.

This year, the compelling need to convene stakeholders and other interest groups to the first ever
market summit was met, initiated by the city government through the market committee of the city
council.
Spelled out in this summit were the existence of problems, such as garbage, cleanliness and
sanitation, peace and order, existence of peddlers, the constricted alleys, and dilapidated and
inadequate structures.
A common ground of agreement was resolved in the summit with the end in view of restoring law and
order, improving public health, safety, rationalizing stall space leasehold rights and occupancy, and
maintaining peace and order conditions.
A revelation was brought out in the summit whereby it was learned that there are 1,845 legitimate
and permanent stalls; 1,687 temporary stall owners; 1,046 ambulant vendors; and an estimated
508 viajeros.
The summit reported that the present public market has long needed not just a facelift nor a mere
upgrading and maintenance of its facilities. It has been left behind in the race for urban modernization
and is now, admittedly, a sorry excuse for a public market in such a favorite tourist destination as
Baguio City. It is miserably incongruous with the rest of the Pine City. It must deserve its special place
within the unique economic, cultural, and sentimental milieu that is Baguio at the turn of the century.
The summit output were short term recommendations to address the issue pertaining to peace and
order, physical facilities, garbage disposal problems, as well as legal issues surrounding the market
and the overall market development. Recommendations for long term action to address the long-term
development of the city market were also spelled out.
A review and updating as well as amendment of the market code to make it conform to the changing
times, particularly on sub-leasing, expanding the representation of vendors organization in the market
development council, and the resolution of the problem on unregulated peddling should be
undertaken.
A recommendation to declare the city market as a heritage site was also given.
To solve the issue of overcrowding, the recommendation was to identify and develop satellite markets
and or another market.
Long-term solution
Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. said that his ultimate goal for the market is for the city to have an
administration over the city public market.
The Uniwide, he said, remains to be the entity clothed with authority over the entire market as
embodied in the court decision declaring the award of the development to them.
Bautista said the citys hands are tied to the point that small improvements like the restoration of the
sari-sari and tourist markets which were razed by fire early this year had to be consulted with Uniwide
and their permission obtained. While it is true, he said, that whatever monies are infused in the
market to improve its condition even for a little might go to waste in case there will be a full blast
development, he has to do something to make the market look presentable as the city celebrates its
centennial.
As father of the city, I am obliged to provide the constituents with the comfort for humanitarian
consideration.
Aside from the repair of the recently burned area, the mayor has asked for an allocation to be able to
organize blocks 3 and 4, which have become an eyesore, as well as caused health problems, and
likewise become a haven of criminals who operate at the market.
Taking a cue from the market summit, Bautista has ordered the conduct of a feasibility study for the
putting up of satellite markets around the city.

As of this writing, City Camp and Pacdal have been identified as sites which are expected to start
construction as soon as documents have been completed.
Two others, at Irisan Barangay and along Kennon Road, have also been identified. The city
government can provide P1.5 billion for the construction of satellite markets.
Bautista said that satellite markets will benefit the city a lot. Decongestion of the city public market
will be primarily addressed, not to mention the traffic decongestion eased because people will no
longer proceed to the city market just to buy a kilo of fish or a bundle of vegetables.
We are building communities by building satellite markets as well as changing the landscape of
economics.
City council committee on market head Elaine Sembrano, who regularly visits the market to obtain
first-hand information about the situation, said that the threat of market vendors that they will not
vote for the politician who will touch them or disrupt their source of livelihood cannot be an obstacle
that will stop the officials from fixing the markets status.
It is not only for the city, but even for the market people and more especially, the residents and the
transient marketgoers who will have the comfort and convenience as they enjoy the luxury of being
able to choose the best products for them, she said.
As public markets in other places are built and rebuilt to conform to the changing needs of the people
and the changing times, the dream to see a Baguio public market which is organized and conforms to
health requirements is still a thing of the future, that the city officials, the stakeholders, as well as the
residents have to work hard to attain. Meantime, it is hoped that a finality in the decision of the court
of the markets administration be resolved in the nearest future to finally determine the public
markets fate.