BAGUIO CITY — Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong once again allayed fears that the Baguio public market will be privatized.
“There’s no tru th na iyong market natin will be managed by a private group. The market will be managed and operated by the local government of Baguio. Klarong-klaro po iyan, walang mababago dyan,” he stressed.
People spreading false information about the market modernization project are mostly individuals allegedly involved in illegal activities in the area that have been going on for decades. Magalong said that these include those who sub-lease their stall or stalls.
He disclosed that the ongoing negotiations on the public market’s modernization is already around 90% complete.
“Hinihintay na lang natin yung go signal from the PPP (Public-Private Parnership) Center. Halos compliant na lahat yung mga dokumento. Hopefully, by second or third quarter ay matapos na iyong negotiations so that we can already start,” the mayor bared.
“We are going to make sure that pag naitayo iyong modernized market natin, it will be probably one of the best markets not only in the Philippines but also in Asia,” he added.
Critics have been rejecting the market modernization project, citing among others, privatization of the historical site and its privatization once a mall chain takes over.
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea will set up an aid package worth more than $7 billion to support its chip industry, the finance ministry said Sund ay, as part of its drive to boost its critical semiconductor sector.
This initiative follows its pledge last year to build the world’s largest chip centre using $240 billion of private investment, prima rily from Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest memory chip maker, as it seeks an edge in the global industry.
The government “is preparing an assistance package of more than 10 trillion won ($7.2 billion) to support fabless, chips materials and manufacturing equipment in all areas of chips industry”, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok said, according t o the finance ministry statement released Sunday.
The $7.2-billion package could be created through “a new fund financed by private and public financial institutions”, Choi told executives of domestic chip makers at a meeting on Friday according to the statement, with further details to be announced.
It comes as Asia’s fourth-largest economy aims to invest heavily in six key technologies, including chips, displays and batteries, all areas where the country’s tech giants are well-established already.
South Korea is home to two of the world’s largest memory chip makers: Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.
Semiconductors are Seoul’s leading export and hit $11.7 billion in March, their highest level in almost two years, accounting for a fifth of South Korea’s total exports, according to figures released by the trade ministry.
In May 2022, Samsung announced a massive 450 trillion won investment blueprint over the next five years aimed at making it a frontrunner in key sectors from semiconductors to biologics.
Securing supplies of advanced chips has become a crucial issue internationally, with the United States and China locked in a fierce battle for control of the chips market.