BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong ordered the City Engineering Office and the City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) to identify the possible relocation site of the night market area to ensure the safety and security of the night market vendors and the public patronizing the nightly activity of the city.
The city chief executive claimed what is important to him is that the vendors adhere to the prevailing health standards in the conduct of their trade aside, from them being assured of their safety through a secure area that will serve as the permanent site for the night market operations.
He recognized the contribution of the night market operation in the generation of income for the over 1,000 vendors participating in the night market activity that is now over a decade old
Earlier, City Building Official Engr. Nazita F. Bañez claimed the public works department already sent the required notice to the city for the relocation of the ongoing night market operations along Harrison road as the same is a national road where such activities are actually prohibited with the temporary closure of the road for the said purpose.
The mayor said the city government will strictly implement the no-cooking policy in the new site of the night market to ensure the area will be orderly.
According to him, investigation is also underway on the alleged anomalies in the distribution of slots for interested night market vendors where some presidents of associations of night market vendors have been investigated for such illegal activities in the allocation of slots in the night market area.
Magalong gave the concerned offices of the city government two weeks to prepare the plans on the proposed relocation site of the night market within the concrete portion of the Baguio Athletic Bowl wherein the same will be presented to the members of the local legislative body for appropriate action.
Initially, Magalong said requested a survey of the existing Ganza parking area for as a relocation site for the night market operation but the same is not enough to accommodate the number of night market vendors.
He also instructed the same offices to look for other feasible areas potential as relocation sites for possible consideration by the members of the City Council once the proposed transfer of the night market operations will be ouch through in consideration of the notice from the public works department for the local government to relocate the nightly activity.
City Accountant Antonio Tabin disclosed the night market operations generate some P14 to P16 million income to the city coffers from the collection of the regulatory fees from the vendors.
A portion of Harrison road is closed every night for this night market operations that has become popular among visitors.
By Dexter A. See
