The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Dumaguete City will convene three consecutive days of public hearings beginning Tuesday, May 19, 2026, to consult residents on a proposed ₱2.185-billion borrowing package intended to finance the construction of a new public market and a City Hall extension — among the largest single loan proposals in the city's recorded history.
The hearings will run from 2:00 to 5:00 in the afternoon on May 19, May 20, and May 21, with the first two sessions held at the Public Market Auditorium and the final session at the SP Session Hall. All three hearings will be presided over by the Chairman of the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Finance.
City officials are calling on residents, market vendors, business owners, transport operators, and civic groups to attend in person, raise questions, and place their concerns on the official record before the council moves the loan package toward final deliberation.
Two Flagship Projects at the Center of the Proposal
According to the proposal under consideration by the Sangguniang Panlungsod, the ₱2.185-billion package covers two infrastructure projects: the construction of a new Dumaguete Public Market and a major extension of the existing City Hall complex.
Both projects are positioned by proponents as long-overdue upgrades to facilities that have served the city for decades and now strain to keep pace with population growth, commercial activity, and modern service standards.
The scale of the borrowing has drawn public attention. At ₱2.185 billion, the loan would represent a multi-year financial commitment on the part of the city government, with debt-servicing implications that will outlast the current administration and extend into the budgets of future city councils and sanggunian compositions.
Full Hearing Schedule and Venue Details
The Sangguniang Panlungsod has set the following schedule for the three public hearings:
- May 19, 2026 (Tuesday) — 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, Public Market Auditorium
- May 20, 2026 (Wednesday) — 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, Public Market Auditorium
- May 21, 2026 (Thursday) — 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, SP Session Hall
Attendance is open to the public. Residents are encouraged to bring identification and to arrive early, as seating at both venues is limited.
Local Government Code Requires Public Consultation on Major Borrowing
Under the Local Government Code of the Philippines, major borrowing by a local government unit requires formal public consultation before it can proceed to final deliberation and approval. The three-day hearing schedule is the mandated venue for that consultation.
It is at these sessions that residents can hear project details directly from the proponents, examine the terms of the proposed borrowing, and either support, request modifications to, or formally oppose elements of the proposal — with all positions entered on the official record.
For the broader Dumagueteño public, the hearings represent the first formal opportunity to evaluate how a ₱2.185-billion loan would be amortized, what revenue streams are projected to service the debt, and what risks the city assumes if those projections fall short of targets over the loan's repayment period.
Sectors Most Directly Affected by the Public Market Component
Civic observers note that public hearings of this scale tend to be sparsely attended unless directly affected sectors mobilize in advance. Market vendors, sari-sari store operators in the surrounding commercial blocks, jeepney and tricycle drivers who stage near the public market, and business owners along the affected commercial corridor are among those with the most immediate stake in the public market component of the proposal.
Property owners and residents in the vicinity of the existing City Hall complex carry a parallel stake in the proposed City Hall extension, which would alter the footprint and operations of the area surrounding one of the city's primary government centers.
The debt-servicing dimension of the loan affects all Dumagueteños as city taxpayers, given that repayments will be drawn from the city's annual budget over the life of the borrowing agreement — a period that will span multiple administrations.
Public Advisory Urges Residents Not to Stay Silent
In a public advisory circulating ahead of the sessions, organizers framed the call to attend in plain Bisaya: Ayaw pagpakahilom. Pagpakabana. Paminaw. Pangutana. Pakigbahin. — translated as: Do not stay silent. Care. Listen. Ask. Take part.
The advisory closes with an appeal directed at all residents: Be informed. Be heard. Be present.
The message reflects the significance attached to the public hearing process by those organizing the consultations, particularly given the size of the proposed financial obligation and its long-term impact on city finances.
Loan Would Carry Multi-Administration Repayment Obligations
At ₱2.185 billion, the proposed borrowing package would represent one of the most substantial financial commitments undertaken by the Dumaguete City government in its history. While the full terms of the loan — including the lending institution, interest rate, and repayment schedule — are expected to be presented during the hearings, the scale of the obligation means that repayments will fall on city budgets well beyond the tenure of the officials who would approve the borrowing.
This intergenerational dimension of the loan is among the considerations that civic groups and residents are expected to raise during the three sessions, alongside questions about construction timelines, displacement of current market vendors during any transition period, and the projected economic returns from both facilities once completed.
The public market, in particular, has served as the commercial heart of Dumaguete for generations, and any disruption to its operations during a construction period carries direct consequences for the livelihoods of hundreds of vendors and thousands of daily shoppers.
Residents Encouraged to Attend Starting May 19
The Sangguniang Panlungsod has emphasized that all three hearings are open to members of the public and that participation is not restricted to invited stakeholders or registered groups. Any resident with questions, concerns, or positions to place on record may attend and speak during the consultation sessions.
Given the limited seating at both the Public Market Auditorium and the SP Session Hall, those planning to attend are advised to arrive ahead of the 2:00 PM start time. The hearings are scheduled to conclude by 5:00 PM each day.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Finance is expected to consolidate public inputs from all three sessions before the loan proposal moves forward to the next stage of the council's deliberative process.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Kenneth / Breaking News Negros Oriental