Committee weighs non-issuance of permits to roving vendor applicants

BAGUIO CITY – A resolution halting the issuance of special permits to new applications for ambulant/roving vendors was introduced by Councilor Philian Weygan-Allan in an effort to curb the increasing number of ambulant or roving vendors in the city.

Weygan-Allan has found out that there are 320 vendors with special permits through a public consultation conducted by the Committee on Market Trade, Commerce, and Agriculture of the City Council she chaired. Out of 456 attendees, 136 still peddle in the city without special permits.

The proposed resolution included 554 ambulant/roving vendors having special permits as of June 30, 2019, reported by the Permits and Licensing Division of the City Mayor’s office.

The proposed resolution will put a stop to the issuance of new special permits to applicants, once approved, but will support the renewal of special permits of legitimate/ roving vendors who comply with the requirements.

The proposed resolution also intends to simplify the process in favor of legitimate roving/ambulant vendors by discontinuing the issuance of endorsements by the Committee on Market Trade, Commerce, and Agriculture.

Weygan-Allan said there were reported instances where an endorsement letter from the Committee was presented to the Public Order and Safety Division (POSD) office/officer instead of a special permit when a roving vendor was being apprehended. By virtue of this resolution, a roving vendor can renew the special permit without the Committee’s endorsement.

The matter was referred to the Committee on Market Trade, Commerce, and Agriculture for further review. Section 143 of Tax Ordinance No. 2000-01 states, “It shall also be prohibited for any person to sell in any place outside of the market premises merchandise intended for sale in the market.”

The Baguio City Market Authority (BCMA), despite the said ordinance, passed a resolution allowing vendors to peddle outside the City Market and the Central Business District on the condition that the vendor must comply with certain rules, regulations, and requirements due to the plight of vendors.

Section 2 (e) of BCMA Resolution 20-2016 states, “Upon approval, the vendor must secure the special permit indicating the item to be sold and the barangay he/she is allowed to rove with, an attached vending ID for easy identification. Production cost of the ID shall be borne by the vendor.

Special permits shall be renewed every three (3) months at the discretion of the City Government of Baguio”.

Jordan G. Habbiling-SPPIO/ABN

Amianan Balita Ngayon