No done deal yet in Baguio market dev’t

BAGUIO CITY – Baguio City’s public market development is a no done deal yet although Robinsons Land Corporation’s  (RLC) got an upper hand from the Baguio City government’s  Public-Private Partnership for the People (P4) selection committee.

Baguio City Administrator Bonifacio dela Peña said the recommendation of the P4 for the prequalification of the proposal of RLC does not mean that the project has already been awarded them, as the terms may still be negotiated before reaching a final deal.

After the prequalification, the original proponent status of RLC will be opened, to allow other companies to challenge the offer.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong said  that he did not yet receive the recommendation from the P4.

“We need to check this very carefully without favoritism and corruption, because this project is not only the development of the market, the very important factor here is the welfare of the vendors and the community.”

Dela Peña said if the Mayor confirms the decision of the P4, however, Robinson's will not yet get the award of the project.

The P4 process will still go under the Swiss Challenge wherein SM and other interested developers will still have a chance to outbid Robinsons.

Even a third party like the cooperative put up by vendors at the Baguio City Market can still join and qualify.

On the strength of its more comprehensive offer, SM Prime Holdings, which also submitted its market development proposal to the P4, plans to challenge RLC's offer. Representatives of the firm said they have submitted complete documents supporting its proposal, which includes a long-term commitment beneficial to the city if their offer would be selected.

In its proposal, SM Prime offered to lease the public market for 50 years. It plans to build a seven-story structure.

The first two floors will accommodate the current market vendors, two basement parking; and three more floors -- two will operate as a mall and the topmost floor will be a green space.

Aside from this, The SM Prime will also relocate all the 3,600 market vendors in a separate building estimated at around P600 million probably to raise in the Slaughterhouse Compound in Sto Nino Barangay.

It was also learned that after the completion of the proposed “state of the art” mall-market, the relocation site building will be turned over to the city free of charge.

 SM Prime Holdings, which also submitted its market development proposal to the P4, plans to challenge RLC's offer.  Representatives of the firm said they have submitted complete documents supporting its “more comprehensive” proposal, which includes a long-term commitment beneficial to the city if their offer would be selected.

Also, a group of market vendors also plans to make a challenge.  The Baguio Market Vendors Association (BMVA) was supposed to be the third party in the selection of market developer, though it was disqualified for lacking documents for its proof it is a juridical entity. (PR)