Baguio mayor exposes corrupt practices, urges youth to speak out

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong is passionate about his anti-corruption advocacy and is particularly eager to educate especially the Filipino youth in good governance even as he is encouraging them to get involved in curbing dirty practices by corrupt officials in government.

Magalong pointed to staggering amounts of money several politicians receive from overpricing projects in the Cordillera Region alone, and talked about the group he is leading — Mayors for Good Governance — to help perpetuate good governance in the country.

Taking the podium as guest speaker in the last weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of Manila at the Manila Polo Club in Makati City on 6 June, Magalong urged the public to speak out against corrupt practices and refuse participating in them.

He also stressed, “Silence is one of the most powerful tools of corrupt politicians.”

Through meticulous research, Magalong said he learned about ways government officials have become rich through public projects after he first won the mayoral elections in Baguio in 2019. He is now serving his second term.

“Their favorite projects are flood control projects, new roads, asphalt layering, road safety devices, and rock netting,” he said.

Overpriced rock netting

For example, through a request for information from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), he was able to deduce how high rock netting projects were overpriced through deals between the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and local government officials.

Rock netting consists of metal wire mesh that prevents rocks falling down from hills and slopes to the ground, on roads and properties like houses and vehicles.

Magalong said government contracts price rock netting projects at P25,000 per square meter, much higher than the actual cost of only P6,000 per square meter.

“This is the result of the study I requested from NEDA because the DPWH refused to give me documents covering these rock netting projects in the Cordilleras,” he said.

Magalong said he was able to come up with the actual cost from his experience at Steel Asia Corp. as its former senior vice president for operations.

“The DPWH secretary does not appoint the district engineers and regional directors of the DPWH. In most cases, they are appointed by congressmen and senators,” he said.

Based on NEDA’s data, Magalong said a group of politicians increased spending on rock netting projects in the Cordilleras when they started assuming office in 2020.

It just doesn’t add up

“Looking at the politicians who were involved in that project — some of them spending P3 billion on buying hotels, land, expensive houses and villas — it just doesn’t add up. So I requested NEDA to submit to me a complete study,” he said.

Magalong said the cost of rock netting projects started at P4.8 billion in 2020, then surged to P11.3 billion the next year, and to P16.3 billion in 2022.

“In 2023 when I started speaking up about rock netting projects, it was supposed to be P14 billion allocated for that year. They stopped on rock netting projects and were able to implement only P8.7 billion,” he said.

Investigating and talking to people are skills honed by Magalong as a former officer of the Philippine National Police for operational and management positions, and the chairman of the Philippine National Police Board of Inquiry for the deaths of 44 members of the Special Action Forces in 2015.

Magalong as a rebel does not also bend to orders as he recalled refusing to delete information from the SAF 44 probe report linking former president Benigno Aquino III to the failed mission against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Maguindanao.

Subcontractors’ help

In his fight against corruption, Magalong has uncovered anomalies among local government officials with the help of subcontractors.

“We’re tired of delivering all these vast amounts of cash in pieces of luggage; P22 million in each luggage. Politicians are getting 40 percent of the total cost of the project. We’re subcontractors; the politicians are the contractors,” he recalled from a conversation he had with a group of subcontractors who approached him.

Based on information he received from a member of the House of Representatives, Magalong said that the minimum request for share in the total cost of the project to politicians has increased from 10 percent to 25 percent.

“Almost 70 percent of our politicians are contractors and suppliers and many of them are also suppliers of medicines,” he said.

“Their favorite projects are flood control projects, new roads, asphalt layering, rock netting, and road safety devices,” Magalong reiterated.

He said politicians also increase their wealth through purchases of cats’ eyes. These are reflective road studs that help illuminate road boundaries for drivers at night.

Cats’ eyes

Getting to the direct source, Magalong said he discovered that a politician can receive P9,000 per unit of said cats’ eyes.

He said he came up with that amount based on information he was given by a DPWH supplier who told him each unit costs P1,350 while the DPWH’s standard detailed unit price analysis shows P11,720.

Information from a member of the House of Representatives reveals that the minimum request for share by politicians in the total cost of projects has increased from 10 percent to 25 percent. ‘Almost 70 percent of our politicians are contractors and suppliers; their favorite projects are flood control projects, new roads, asphalt layering, rock netting, and road safety devices.’

“After computing the numbers at seven percent share to local government officials and looking at the budget of the government when it comes to infrastructure, you can easily make about P400 million in just three years in one term,” Magalong said.

Good governance

Magalong has organized and has taken the lead of the Mayors for Good Governance with its current 177 members The group commits to uphold anti-corruption practices and put the welfare of citizens in all their activities.

“We will continue to keep the fire burning because this is the only legacy we will leave to the next generations,” he said.

Magalong said the Mayors for Good Governance is also a movement that encourages the youth to help promote inclusive socioeconomic progress while ditching poor, traditional practices.

No short-term solution

“In this fight against corruption, there is no short-term solution but we’re going to start it with our young people. Why the young people? Because they are at the forefront of social activism, social equality and justice, and technological innovation,” he said.

“Sixty to 70 percent of the world’s big companies are made up of young people. I tell them you should be very vocal in disagreeing with your bosses if necessary,” Magalong continued.

Mayors for Good Governance also include Marikina City Mayor Marcy Teodoro, Isabela de Basilan Mayor Sitti Hataman, Dumaguete City Mayor Ipe Remollo and Kauswagan Mayor Rommel Arnado.

The others are Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon, Navotas Mayor John Rey Tiangco and Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas.