City Council to hold inquiry on Discaya project in Baguio
By: Rimaliza A. Opina
The Baguio City Council is set to conduct its own inquiry on 20 October into a project in the City of one of the contractors alleged to have amassed billions worth of substandard flood control projects.
As Senate Blue Ribbon Committee is set to conclude its investigation into the massive corruption in flood control and other infrastructure projects, the Baguio City Council has set on 20 October an inquiry into the renovation of the tennis court at the Baguio Athletic Bowl.
In its 25 September special session, the city council approved four resolutions all related to the P110 million worth renovation project undertaken by St. Gerrard Construction – one of several construction firms owned by spouses Pacifico and Cezara Discaya.
The Discayas are alleged to be in cahoots with public works officials and politicians in siphoning public funds for their personal gain, instead of fully using these for projects meant to benefit the public.
The first resolution requested the regional director of the Commission on Audit (COA) and the City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO) to inspect the tennis court and make a report about their observations.
The second resolution was the creation of an independent body to assess the project; the third was a reiteration of the city’s anti-corruption policy, and the fourth is the invitation to representatives of St. Gerrard, CBAO, Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), and former city administrator Bonifacio dela Pena.
Dela Pena was chair of the BAC when the project was awarded to St. Gerrard.
At the height of the Senate inquiry on the flood control projects, two former city officials have posted in their social media accounts about a project of the Discaya’s in Baguio.
The City Public Information Office (PIO) posted press releases quoting the CBAO, Mayor Benjamin Magalong, and the BAC, which said St. Gerrard got the project fairly.
The city government posted the contract cost at P118,995,628.02. Out of 10 bidders that participated, St. Gerrard submitted the lowest bid price at P110,067,352.62.
The city government awarded the project in December 2022.
The PIO said it has regularly inspected the progress of the construction and since January, the city has imposed P20,264.01 per day liquidated damages due to -17.64 percent delay in the project.
The LGU has also withheld P26,249,012.35 payment including the liquidated damages as the contractor has only reached 94 percent accomplishment as of 19 September 2025.
For transparency, the mayor has suggested the creation of a body to serve as third party project assessor.
