By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD CITY – The 80-year-old Bago Public Market in Barangay Maquiling, Sagay City, Negros Occidental, was officially unveiled on Wednesday after undergoing a major upgrade.
Previously known for makeshift or “hayob-hayob” stalls, the market now stands as one of the largest public markets in Sagay, providing improved facilities for both vendors and customers.
The renovation, which took two years to complete, was funded through loans and contributions from the city government.
City Engineer Jezreel Alingco shared that the project, which started on August 18, 2022, had a total cost of PHP 62,489,030.
Of this amount, PHP 60.6 million was financed through a loan, while the city government contributed PHP 2 million.
The project was initiated under the administration of former Mayor and now 2nd District Representative Alfredo Marañon III.
In his speech, Mayor Narciso Javelosa Jr. highlighted the market’s significance as both a cultural and economic hub for local vendors and neighboring towns.
“This market is vital as it serves as a center where vendors from various areas converge to sell and exchange goods,” Javelosa said.
The upgraded market spans 7,400 square meters and now includes essential facilities such as a wastewater treatment system, drainage infrastructure, perimeter fencing, and a materials recovery facility.
It is divided into sections catering to various vendors: 19 restaurant stalls, 16 fruit stalls, 14 sari-sari stalls, 30 RTW stalls, eight meat counters, 40 fish counters, and 72 dry goods or bagsakan stalls.
Barangay Captain Miraluna Diotay recalled the market’s importance since the 1950s, especially for upland residents who traveled to barter farm products for fish, shrimp paste, and other lowland goods.
Over the years, the market grew as vendors set up makeshift stalls, particularly on Fridays and Saturdays, the busiest days.
Vendors from nearby areas such as Escalante, Toboso, and Cadiz City also contributed to the market’s significance as an economic and cultural hub.
Diotay expressed gratitude to everyone who made the project a reality, emphasizing that the renovation would greatly improve the livelihoods of local vendors.
The management of the market will now fall under the city’s Environment and Economic Management Office, with a public hearing scheduled to discuss stall rates.
The city government has also made improvements to other major markets, including the Sagay City Farmers’ Market, Vito Public Market, Paraiso Public Market, and the ongoing construction of the new Old Sagay Public Market. These projects all began during Marañon’s tenure as mayor.
