Baguio's 100-Year-Old Market Might Change Forever: "SAVE BAGUIO MARKET MOVEMENT"

This week's episode of the Philippines: Luzon North to South series is special. This time, I’m in Baguio City Public Market in the Philippines, one of the most iconic public markets in Luzon, now at the centre of the “Save Baguio Market” movement. See, I'm the biggest fan of public markets, I grew up in a household that almost exclusively only bought from our local market, not only because it's often the freshest but also because it's just incredible, you know? The experience of walking in, seeing familiar faces, picking your own vegetables, fruits, everything really. It's social, I think it's the beating heart of every city and community. So, when I got to Baguio in Central Luzon after an 8-hour bus ride from Laoag, it was the first place I went to. I needed some vegetables to make a curry so I dropped my bags and walked to Magsaysay Avenue right in the centre of the city and wow. Baguio City Public Market might just be the best public market I've ever been to and experienced. Everything from how organised it was (alleys for different produce i.e. Broccoli Alley, Cucumber Alley, Tomato Alley, etc.), hand-drawn signs in bright colours telling you where everything is, the laughs, sounds of bargaining, colours, scents; incredible energy. Vegetables piled high from nearby mountain farms. Strawberries, leafy greens, root crops, fresh peanut butter made right there (still warm!), woven scarves, traditional costumes, handicrafts, poultry… everything and anything you could possibly want. I went in thinking I was going to quickly pick some stuff up but instead ended up spending 4 hours there just exploring and chatting to vendors who were so friendly and warm. Then I saw the signs, “Save Baguio Market”, “No to Mallification”. I decided to ask the vendors about it and what they shared was... moving, concerning. That market raised so many families, the businesses locals have there helped them educate their children, improve their lives, but it's not just a place of work for them, it's everything. It's home, it's friendship, it's community, all woven carefully over decades. And for the people of Baguio, the market meant they had a space where they could buy affordable, ultra fresh, good quality necessities. It supported local farmers, small growers, the entire region. And that’s the thing about public markets, whether here, in Sardinia, India or anywhere in the world, they do something malls can't ever do. They support real people, small businesses, offering so much more to a community than a mall ever could. The people of Baguio do not want another shiny mall that erases this very important heart of the city. #Baguio #Philippines #PublicMarket #baguiocity #BaguioCityPublicMarket #SaveBaguioMarket #LocalLife #SaveBaguioMarketMovement