The Baguio City Council has granted Mayor Benjamin Magalong the authority to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the national government for the construction of a P40-million Peace Training Center.
The project, funded by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), is a key component of the PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn (PAMANA) program. This national initiative aims to foster peace-building, conflict transformation, and sustainable community development in recognition of Baguio City’s significant role in advancing peace initiatives.
The proposed facility will be located at the Former Treasurer’s Cottage on Upper Session Road. Under the terms of the agreement, the City Government will be responsible for project management, monitoring, and reporting on the utilization of the funds. Additionally, the city will designate one floor of the new center to serve as a satellite office for the OPAPRU.
During the City Council’s session on Monday, July 20, the proposal sparked discussion regarding previous allocations for the same site.
Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda sought clarification because she recalled that the City Council had previously approved the acceptance of P5 million from Malacañang for a building. Councilor Tabanda’s concerns were mainly about whether the building funded by the original P5 million had already been constructed and whether the P40 million allocation was intended for a completely separate structure on the same site.
Responding to Tabanda’s question, Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan and Councilor Paolo Raynor Salvosa noted that the new funding was likely for the “completion of the building” rather than a new one, noting that the original P5 million was probably insufficient for the total project requirements. Due to overlapping approvals causing confusion about whether the previously approved P5 million and the newly approved P40 million would be used for the same building, the City Council decided to move forward with the approval of the request for authority, but with a specific condition that the matter is subject to validation and coordination by the Committee on Laws and Governance to officially confirm how the previous P5 million and the new P40 million are being integrated for the same site.
The PAMANA project implementation is governed by a strict timeline, with physical completion of the hard infrastructure required no later than December 31, 2027. The MOA also outlines a “Peacebuilding and Development” framework, requiring the city to install a “PAMANA Marker” upon completion to signify the project’s contribution to the national peace process.
This partnership is viewed by the city executive as a strategic opportunity to maximize the use of government-owned property while strengthening institutional ties with the national government. -Sean Kimrhed P. Lardizabal (UC BA Comm Student/SP Intern)
