Baguio City Charts Path for Economic Expansion by 2028
Baguio City wants to see a lot of economic growth by 2028 via creativity, new ideas, and becoming digital. The new four-year Executive Legislative Agenda (ELA) lays out a plan for growing local businesses, encouraging creativity, and using smart technology.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the projects reflect the city’s overall objective to “support innovation, empower industries, and ensure efficient public service delivery.” He went on to say that Baguio wants to become an even more important center for creativity and technology throughout the world in the next three years.
Source: Inquirer.net
Four Pillars of Baguio’s Economic Strategy
The ELA lists four main programs that are pushing this agenda: starting new local businesses, making the Baguio Creative Website, starting the MSME Startup and Innovation Desk, and putting the Smart Economic Integration Program into action.
Magalong said that these developments would make Baguio’s economy stronger and more competitive. The city wants to establish long-lasting sectors that attract investment and promote inclusive growth by combining creativity with digital innovation.
Strengthening the City’s Creative Economy
Baguio has been working on projects to use local art as a way to keep the economy strong since it was awarded a UNESCO Creative City for Crafts and Folk Art in 2017. The new concept builds on this by connecting artists and businesspeople to the worldwide market.
Aileen Refuerzo, Baguio’s chief information officer, stated that the city wants to make the best use of its resources, be open about what it does, and make public procedures easier. “We want creativity to drive progress, not just in art but also in how we run and provide services,” she said.
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Local Economic Enterprises to Drive Growth
The city will work on building up a number of local businesses, such as the Maharlika Livelihood Center, the Baguio Convention and Cultural Center, the Baguio Center Mall, the Baguio City Market, and an animal crematorium, between 2025 and 2028.
The city is again in charge of the Maharlika Livelihood Center and the Baguio Center Mall again after their leasing contracts ended. The Government Service Insurance System sold the Baguio Convention and Cultural Center to the city with money from Camp John Hay lease payments.
Empowering MSMEs and Startups Through Innovation
By 2028, the city also wants to set up a Baguio Startup and MSME Hub. This effort will be part of the MSME and Startup Incubation Program slated for 2026, which will drive the construction of a Baguio Startup Ecosystem Roadmap 2030.
Entrepreneurs will be able to use common spaces, get advice, and get training at the new hub. Refuerzo said the objective is to “create a strong innovation ecosystem that helps small businesses grow and do well in digital markets.”
Smart Economic Integration to Digitize City Services
Through the Smart Economic Integration Program, Baguio will improve its digital transformation by automating administrative operations. The concept calls for online payment methods, a central place to apply for permits, and totally digital transactions for taxes and fees.
The goal of the program is to make things more efficient and clear while cutting down on manual effort. The city’s digital infrastructure will be underpinned by several online banking platforms and secure data management solutions.
Baguio Creative Website to Link Clients and Artists
The Baguio Creative Website will serve as an online platform to showcase local talent, connect artists with clients, and facilitate creative collaborations. It will have an e-commerce platform, an artists’ registry, and ongoing research into the city’s creative sectors when it fully launches in 2028.
This digital project fits with Baguio’s goal of being Southeast Asia’s top creative capital, where art, culture, and business all work together.
Building a Sustainable Future for Baguio’s Economy
Refuerzo noted that the city is still working on its Local Economic Investment and Development Plan (LEIDP) to make sure it lasts for a long time. The ELA will provide new ways to make money that may be used to pay for social, cultural, and infrastructural services.
Refuerzo stressed that “These businesses will make it easier for the city to pay for public projects and provide better services.” “Creativity, technology, and responsible governance will be at the heart of Baguio’s change.”
