LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The municipal government may sustain the operations of its own version of the night market as an added attraction in the municipality and provide an additional or alternative source of livelihood for ambulant vendors displaced from their vending areas because of the government’s all-out campaign against illegal vending.
Mayor Romeo K. Salda said the one-month experiment of the night market was successful amidst the rains that prevailed for a number of days during the said period thus the municipal government decided to pursue the night market within the parking area along Km. 5 to entice residents and visitors to patronize the same and increase the economic activities in the municipality at night.
“We are convinced by the results of the night market experiment in the period November 3 to December 3 thus we will pursue the implementation of the nightly activity with some slight adjustments on who will be allowed to participate in the night market,” Mayor Salda stressed.
He added the individuals allowed to have stalls in the night market operation will be those bonafide residents of the town’s 16 barangays so that qualified residents can have livelihood even as the aforesaid nightly activity is aimed at being one of the town’s crowd drawers at night.
Earlier, the municipal council chaired by Vice Mayor Roderick Awingan approved an ordinance that institutionalized the night market in the designated parking area along Km. 5 to provide livelihood for bonafide residents of the municipality.
The municipal chief executive expressed confidence the available stalls will be filled in the coming months so as to maximise the potential of the available space in providing additional sources of livelihood for their constituents.
According to him, there is a bright prospect on the growth of the town’s night market with increasing number of people patronizing the said activity, especially that the municipal government is about to hold the annual Strawberry festival, its major crowd-drawing event, coupled with the fact there are no more rains that will deter the operation of the night market in the designated area.
Based on the town’s night market ordinance, the said activity will start at around 7:30 pm and end at around 2 am the following day.
Salda urged the participants of the night market to cooperate with the rules and regulations of the municipal government to prevent unnecessary problems that might result to the eventual stoppage of the activity as the municipal officials want to provide their constituents alternative sources of livelihood.
He claimed the municipal government will continue to assess the ongoing night market to address any issue or concern arising from the said operation until such time that it will be able to perfect the appropriate management system.
By HENT
