Soledad “Sol” Go, a well-known and established advocate for livelihood and education in Baguio, officially filed her Certificate of Candidacy (COC) today for the city’s lone congressional district in the 2025 Philippine General Elections. Accompanied by her fellow candidates, community leaders and a large number of supporters along with supporters of her fellow candidates, Go submitted her candidacy at the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Baguio Office on the morning of October 3, 2024.
For almost a decade, Go has irrefutably been with the people and communities of Baguio. She has meaningfully and effectively collaborated with them on livelihood, education, and barangay initiatives. While her community supporters are living testimonies of her excellent track record and character, she takes on the challenge to transcend these achievements and further champion the needs and interests of the people of Baguio in Congress. She pledges to continue the brand of speedy, competent, compassionate, and clean service of the incumbent Baguio Congressman along with an ultimate invitation to her fellow slatemates, Baguio communities, and even those currently serving to be “Maka-Baguio.”
“Habang marami na tayong napagtagumpayan sa ating adbokasiya para sa edukasyon at kabuhayan, mas matayog pa ang ating mararating kung lahat tayo ay uunahin ang Baguio, ang mga komunidad nito, at ang pagpupursigi na walang nang malalaglag pa sa laylayan. Kasama ang ating mga konsehal, inaanyayahan ko po tayong lahat. Sa panahong ito, wala tayong ibang dapat gawin kung hindi unahin ang Baguio upang makamit natin ang inklusibong pag unlad at quality of life na kailangan at deserve natin. Halina’t maging Maka-Baguio tayo!” said Sol Go.
Sol Go was joined by her slate, “Team Maka-Baguio Tayo,” which includes incumbent city councilor Atty. Betty Lourdes “Lulu” Tabanda, former city councilor Elaine Sembrano, former city councilor Joel Alangsab, media leader Edong Carta, and incumbent barangay Abanao-Zandueta-Kayong-
Maka-Baguio Tayo is an invitation to everyone to put the needs and interests of the People of Baguio First. At a time where quality of life and living in Baguio is in decline, Baguio communities must be prioritized and empowered to inclusively put forward and implement solutions that champions the marginalized and leaves no one behind. For Team Maka-Baguio Tayo, this is their mandate and urgent response to what matters at the end of the day: the needs and interests of the peoples and communities of Baguio.
Brgy. AZKCO Kagawad Atty. Standford Ang stressed the urgency of being “Maka-Baguio”: “Hundreds of thousands of Baguio citizens rely on our public market. The heart of this market is its vendors, tenants, and customers. Now more than ever, with the looming privatization of our market, we must stand by them, as many risk being further marginalized. Now more than ever, we should prioritize them and be Maka-Baguio.” Media leader Edong Carta added, “Being Maka-Baguio means prioritizing and ensuring real and meaningful consultations. Market vendors and tenants are in the best position to propose inclusive solutions, as they’re the ones most affected by these issues. We must foster their capacity to lead.”
Incumbent councilor Atty. Lulu Tabanda, who chairs the City Council’s Health and Sanitation, Ecology, and Environmental Protection Committee, emphasized capable leadership: “We’ve made significant strides in health and sanitation, but without improving the overall quality of life for Baguio citizens, these efforts fall short. Being Maka-Baguio means enabling our communities to lead in implementing solutions, which will enhance our overall health and environment.” Former councilor Elaine Sembrano, an advocate for advancing Baguio’s tourism, added, “While we welcome millions of tourists, what matters most is that Baguio’s residents feel valued and empowered by their public servants. We can’t offer genuine hospitality if we don’t first improve the quality of life for our own communities.”
Former councilor Joel Alangsab says “Our city’s transportation and traffic management infrastructure has fallen far behind the aspirations we have for Baguio. If we allow this to remain unaddressed, we fail the citizens of Baguio. Even worse, the continued neglect could lead to further disenfranchisement of our communities, as they’re excluded from the solutions. To make interventions sustainable and inclusive, our communities must be consulted and empowered. This is the true essence of being Maka-Baguio.”
