Baguio mayor renews anti-corruption drive

BAGUIO CITY — Mayor Benjamin Magalong emphasized that good governance is never the work of one person alone, but a collective effort that requires the active participation of the people.

“This will only happen if each of us accepts the responsibility of helping shape the future of our city,” Magalong said in his State of the City Address during Baguio’s 116th Charter Anniversary celebration at the Baguio Cultural and Convention Center on 1 September 2025.

The mayor lauded Baguio’s citizens as the backbone of the city government’s charity, service and community-building efforts, noting how their engagement has always been one of the city’s strengths.

This year’s celebration carried the theme “Diverse Roots, Shared Dreams” as Baguio continues its long-term vision of becoming a livable, inclusive and creative city by 2043. Magalong said the first step toward this goal lies in protecting the environment, managing land resources, and ensuring energy security — foundations of a truly sustainable city.

He reported that Baguio recorded a 9 percent economic growth rate in 2023, a 97.5 percent employment rate in 2024, and a drop in inflation from 3.2 percent last year to 2.9 percent by June 2025.

Poverty incidence also remained low, with only 0.5 percent of families and 0.8 percent of individuals counted as poor in 2023. From June 2023 to May 2025, the city collected P2.734 billion in gross revenues.

Baguio has also earned 67 regional, 81 national, and six international awards for its programs and advocacies. While these achievements are reasons to be proud, Magalong cautioned that “the work is far from finished,” stressing that growth brings both new challenges and opportunities.

The mayor underscored the need to further strengthen active citizenship and protect the city from corrupt politics. He recalled how some politicians tried to tarnish the city’s image in the last election.

“They spread money around — money that came from the taxes we all paid — and passed it off as if it were from their own pockets. We cannot allow this to happen in our city,” he said.

Magalong warned that corruption has long plagued the country, but insisted Baguio has remained one of the few places standing firm against it. “Baguio is different. It is one of the few cities in the country that continues to resist corruption. And this is a trait we must guard closely,” he said.

He acknowledged critics who accuse him of fighting corruption only for political gain.