Mayor seeks possible relocation site for night market

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong on Tuesday, July 16, 2019 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 vendors and the public patronizing the said nightly activity.

The mayor said that what matters 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.

City Building Official Nazita F. Bañez earlier said that the public works department already sent the required notice to the city for the relocation of the ongoing night market operations along Harrison Road. The same is a national road where such activities are actually prohibited with the temporary closure of the road for the said purpose, Bañez added.

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.

He also said investigation is underway on the alleged anomalies in the distribution of slots to night market vendors. Some presidents of associations of night market vendors have already been investigated as far as allocation of slots in the night market area is concerned.

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.

Magalong said he initially requested a survey of the existing Ganza parking area for a relocation site but the same is not enough to accommodate the number of night market vendors.

He also instructed the same offices to look for other potential areas feasible as relocation sites for possible consideration by the members of the City Council. City Accountant Antonio Tabin said the night market operations generate some P14 to P16 million 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.

Dexter A. See-PIO/ABN

Amianan Balita Ngayon