BAGUIO CITY – Market vendors reiterated their vehement opposition to the planned privatization of the city public market that will be undertaken by a giant mall developer in the guise of the so-called private-public partnership (PPP) as earlier approved by the local government as the scheme to undertake the ambitious project.
The said proposal outlines a multi-level construction plan with several floors for commercial development on top of a couple floors allotted for the public market. This plan’s goal is to modernize the century-old market and equip it with additional amenities. To pave the way for this development, market vendors would have to relocate to the Slaughter Compound along Magsaysay Road.
Atty. Zosimo Abratique of the Baguio Market Vendors Association (BAMARVA) emphasized that the proposal is not a done deal. It still requires the approval from the City Development Council (CDC) before it can move forward.
Atty. Abratique also expressed confidence that the city has the capacity to raise funds for the project, with the help of cooperatives willing to partake in the market’s improvement. “Yung BAMARVA, nag-create ng [cooperative] para maka-raise ng funds. Ang isang objective ‘non is to participate in the management and development of the market.” As of now, he stated that BAMARVA’s total assets amount to 500 million pesos, which could be used for this purpose.
Market vendors share mixed feelings about the proposal. Sonny, a vendor, said, “Ang masasabi ko tungkol sa market redevelopment ng Baguio City … is very good nga idea ti city. Gusto namin na mga nagtitinda na ma-redevelop din itong market para gumanda. Kaso, ang mas magandang paraan sana diyan ay … pera ng city government ang magpaayos diyan ta hindi yung biglaan na pagpapaayos ang gagawin para hindi naman kawawa lahat yung magtitinda na [mapupunta] sa Slaughter … kung sakaling ma-develop ta one time itong gagawin.”
Florencia, a stall owner, believes that the market should still be owned by the people but the prospects of having a redeveloped market looked promising. “Sakin, maganda naman. Para mapalitan yung mga old na kuryente na nakasabit. Yung mga nasa ilalim ng mga tubo, yung mga drainage, ayan. Tsaka shempre mapalinis ang lahat ng surroundings ng palengke.”
However, Jean, a vegetable seller, expressed concern about the potential disruption, saying,“Hindi madali para sa amin na bilglang ililipat doon sa Slaughter. Kaya ang hirap. Hindi naman madaling mailipat ka kung saan-saan eh. Sana hindi biglaan yung [pag-renovate] nito. Unti-unti na lang i-renovate.”
There are approximately 4,000 vendors in the public market, all of whom will be affected by the said redevelopment plan. Pressing concerns regarding potential drop in sales and accessibility continue to arise from the immediate relocation of these vendors if the proposal is approved. By Aiyra Marzan
