Proponents to present designs for night market tents

September 23, 2019 Metro BLISTT

BAGUIO CITY – At least three proponents will present to the city government their designs on the tents to be used by night market vendors in their nightly operations during the executive-legislative meeting on Monday, September 23, 2019 at the City Hall Multipurpose Hall.

Two of the proponents for the uniform design for the night market tents to be used by the over 1,000 night market vendors come from their ranks while the other is a private proponent.

The presentation will serve as a basis for members of the City Council to decide on whether or not to pass a pending resolution for night market vendors to adopt attractive and uniform tents purposely for beautification of the night market vending area, cover during inclement weather condition, and for the security of the goods they sell in their designated slots.

The City Council decided to defer action on the proposed resolution for the proponent to clarify numerous issues on the imposition of the requirement Proponents to present designs for night market tents for night market vendors to use attractive and uniform tents in their vending areas.

Among the issues that cropped up during the deliberation of the proposed resolution included the notice from the public works department to relocate the night market operation as the same cannot be done on a national road like Harrison road.

This will also entail an added expense to the city government for the required provision of added lighting, and the put-up of the tents will mean the put-up of a semi-permanent structure which is prohibited in the area aside from the additional expense that the vendors will have to shoulder.

The night market operation where displaced ambulant vendors could pursue their trade, started along the concrete portion of the Baguio Athletic Bowl in 2006 before it was transferred to a 500-meter portion of the Harrison road several years later.

The city government had been searching for a permanent site as a venue for the night market operations but the previously identified areas were not sufficient to accommodate the increasing number of night market vendors wanting to be actively involved in the nightly activity.

City officials admitted that through the years, the night market had become an added attraction to residents aside from the visitors who wanted to enjoy the nightly activity that operates from 9 pm to wee hours in the morning.

The night market operations bring into the city government coffers more than P1.4 million monthly in regulatory fees paid by the vendors.

Dexter A. See, PIO-Baguio