Magalong seeks probe into Baguio Tennis Court project

BAGUIO CITY — Mayor Benjamin Magalong has called on the city council to initiate a third-party investigation into the Burnham Park Tennis Court renovation and parking project to clarify issues surrounding its bidding, implementation and financial management.

Magalong said an impartial review would remove doubts and restore confidence in publicly funded infrastructure.

“We owe it to the people of Baguio to make sure that projects funded by taxpayers’ money are above board,” he said. “A third-party investigation will remove doubts and restore confidence in the city’s processes.”

City Affirms Bidding Compliance

In response to criticisms, the City Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) and the City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO) asserted that the procurement followed Republic Act 9184.

Key bidding details:

• Approved budget: ₱118.9 million 
• Bid documents purchased by: 10 contractors (none blacklisted in PHILGEPS)
• Bid opening (June 21, 2022):
  • 7 bidders submitted proposals
  • 3 were disqualified due to eligibility issues
  • 4, including St. Gerrard Construction, passed all legal, financial and technical evaluations
• Contract awarded: September 14, 2022
• Contract signed: October 6, 2022

• Winning bid: ₱110.06 million (lowest complying and responsive bid)

Progress and Enhancements

The CBAO reported regular monitoring and punchlisting to identify and correct deficiencies during construction.

Recorded accomplishment rates:

• Dec 2022 — 20%
• Feb 2023 — 38%
• Sept 2023 — 51%
• Jan 2024 — 66%
• Jan–Feb 2025 — 82%
• May 2025 — 91%

• Sept 2025 — 94%

Project enhancements introduced during implementation included:

• Addition of a pickleball court
• Installation of generator sets with automatic transfer switch

• Automatic pumps and upgraded lighting system

These upgrades adjusted the total contract cost to ₱114.9 million.
Due to weather disturbances and work variations, project duration was extended from 470 to 836 days.

Delays and Penalties

Despite compliance in bidding, the contractor faced repeated warnings for slippage:

• Oct 28, 2024 — First warning
• Nov 5, 2024 — Final warning

• Dec 26, 2024 — Notice of contract termination (later reconsidered after appeal)

As of January 2025, St. Gerrard incurred 17% delay, resulting in ₱20,000 per day in liquidated damages.

Further inspection in May and September 2025 found 6–7% unfinished work.

To date:

• Liquidated damages: ~₱4.9 million
• Retention money: ~₱8.7 million

• Withheld payments: ~₱26.2 million pending completion

The CBAO said it is evaluating final options as the project remains incomplete beyond the mayor’s imposed deadline.

Magalong Reiterates Transparency

Magalong dismissed insinuations about the contractor’s background, stressing his record of standing firm in past investigations.

“Whether during the Mamasapano investigations, the Ninja Cops probe or cases filed against me — I have stood firm, and I will do the same here,” he said.

He said he supports the creation of an Independent Commission on Infrastructure and has ordered full public access to all project documents.

“We will not allow lies to overshadow the truth. We stand for accountability and good governance — always,” Magalong said.

Editor’s note: Amounts stated in this report have been rounded to the nearest million or thousand for readability.