BAGUIO CITY – Representatives of concerned government agencies, the local government, the barangay and the affected stallholders at the Camp 7 satellite market agreed on a ‘win-win solution’ in the implementation of the widening project along Kennon road that will affect the government-funded facility.
During a dialogue presided by Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan, it was agreed by the concerned parties that the widening project will be adjusted by over two meters from the previous surveyed area to lessen the impact to the stallholders based in the Camp 7 satellite market whose stalls will be wiped out if the original plan will push through.
Further, it was also agreed by representatives of the Department of Public Works and Highways–Baguio City District Engineering Office (DPWH-BCDEO), city officials led by Mayor Domogan and Councilor Leandro B. Yangot, Jr., chairman of the City Council Committee on Market, Trade, Commerce and Agriculture, and the concerned satellite market vendors that the agency and the contractor will help the stallholders in the demolition of the critical areas where some permanent structures were erected while affected stallholders whose stalls will be partially affected will be the ones to voluntarily demolish the portion of their structures that encroached the affected area to lessen the impact of the demolition to their stability of their stalls.
Part of the agreement reached was the proposal of Councilor Yangot for the reduction of the lease rentals being paid by the affected stallholders primarily because the spaces that they are currently leasing out from the local government will also be reduced.
The affected vendors agreed to cooperate with the DPWH-BCDEO in the implementation of the Kennon Road widening project but appealed to the agency not to totally demolish the satellite market structure but instead make the necessary adjustments for the possible reduction of the impact of the project to their overall source of livelihood in the area aside from the fact that the structure was built using government funds during the time of former Mayor and Rep. Bernardo M. Vergara.
However, it was also uncovered that some of the stallholders in the satellite market allegedly expanded their stalls without the authority of the local government but now that the government needs the space for the road-right-of-way of Kennon Road, they agreed to give in to the expansion project provided that the impact of the widening of the national highway will be lessened so that they will continue to earn a decent income from leasing out their stalls with the city.
The affected stallholders were grateful to Mayor Domogan, Councilor Yangot, barangay officials led by newly elected punong barangay Angeline Ramos and DPWH-BCDEO officials for listening to their plight and working out the ‘win-win solution’ to their problem that will now allow them to have peace of mind regarding the on-going implementation of the Kennon road widening project wherein their stalls will not be totally removed thereby depriving them of their livelihood but instead part of their structures will be removed. By Dexter A. See
