LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The municipal government is eyeing the institutionalization of the conduct of its own version of the night market to serve as a major crowd-drawer in the town during the night.
Mayor Romeo Salda said that the on-going night market being operated by a private organizer along Km. 5 will serve as a dry run for the eventual institutionalization of the nightly activity that will draw the influx of visitors to the locality and contribute in increasing economic activities for the people and sustaining their sources of livelihood.
“It will be the local government that will manage the conduct of the night market once there will be a decision to institutionalize the conduct of the said activity to help entice residents and visitors like to make it a point to visit the town for the goods being sold in the night market,” Salda stressed.
Earlier, the municipal council approved the conduct of a 40-day night market along Km. 5 which will end on January 8, 2018 purposely for the Yuletide season and to serve as a dry run for the institutionalization of the said activity that will serve as one of the town’s income-generating activity.
According to him, the local government wants to replicate the successful conduct of the night market in Baguio city by operating its own night market to attract the influx of visitors to the municipality during the night to buy souvenir items, ready to wear items, perishable goods among others.
Mayor Salda claimed municipal officials will assess the initial conduct of the night market after the expiration of the said activity to ascertain the adjustments that will be implemented once the local government will takeover the operation of the nightly activity in the lot owned by the municipality.
He also appealed to concerned stakeholders to provide the local government with their recommendations and suggestions on how to further improve the conduct of the night market so that it will become sustainable and become one of the town’s major economic driver in the future.
The mayor said that all the suggestions and recommendations of the public will be considered in the crafting of the guidelines for the night market which will be administered, managed and operated by the municipal government before it will be formally launched in the coming months.
He explained the decision to commission a private organizer for the 40-day night market activity was reached by the local legislative body after a local organizer submitted a proposal upon learning that the municipality will be holding a night market that will be done by administration.
He underscored the institutionalization of the night market in the municipality will compliment the night market in Baguio city because it will provide residents and tourists alike with the necessary options on where to purchase their desired goods while enjoying the cool and unique climate of the area as well as to help in increasing the activities in the said places during the night.
By HENT