Benjamin Magalong

Benjamin “Benjie” Magalong has redefined leadership in Baguio City through governance that is data-driven, transparent and uncompromisingly service-oriented. A former police general known for high-profile investigative work within the Philippine National Police, he entered public office in 2019 and quickly emerged as one of the country’s strongest champions for clean and modernized local government.

Magalong leads the coalition Mayors for Good Governance (M4GG), working alongside fellow reform-minded executives including Vico Sotto of Pasig, Joy Belmonte of Quezon City and Sitti Hataman of Isabela City. The group advocates a model of public leadership founded on transparency, measurable performance and direct accountability to constituents. Magalong also launched the national Good Governance: Get Involved movement, calling on citizens to recognize that fighting corruption is not only a political effort but a collective responsibility—one he sees as vital to addressing national challenges including debt, mismanagement and inefficiency.

Under his stewardship, Baguio has earned international recognition for sustainable urban management. The city was inducted into the ASEAN Hall of Fame after securing the Clean Tourist City designation for the third consecutive time, reaffirming its commitment to responsible tourism, environmental stewardship and cultural preservation.

Magalong has positioned Baguio as a forward-looking smart city, advancing a public-private partnership initiative for a Smart Urban Mobility Project to improve congestion and transport efficiency. In line with his push for transparency, Baguio is also preparing to adopt blockchain technology to secure government documents including financial transactions and bidding records—a pioneering move in local governance.

Balancing innovation with unwavering moral leadership, Magalong has become a national model of how competence, integrity and future-minded planning can transform local government into a global standard of accountability and progress.