CITING the P200 million fund acquired from the Office of the President for the realization of Baguio’s “smart city” project as insufficient, the city is now accepting private proposals for the project.
One such proposal posits a P2.2 billion project that would supposedly utilize artificial intelligence for “contactless apprehension” and traffic management among other purposes.
The proposal from the Metro Pacific Mobility Company would see the installation of 220 cameras in the city for traffic management and surveillance purposes.
Said cameras would then be integrated into the current “smart city command center” being set up at the basement of the Baguio Convention Center.
The proposal is “one of many” unsolicited proposals currently under review by the city government through the Public – Private Partnership for the People Screening Committee (P4-SC).
Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong has admitted that the city is insufficiently funded to realize the smart city plan on its own, hence the city is looking toward private partnership options to get the project moving forward.
However, the proposals are not currently available for perusal by the public.
