Baguio trade fairs

BEHIND THE SCENES
Alfred P. Dizon

BAGUIO CITY – City officials on the take from organizers of trade fairs in this summer capital have been a source of gossip over the years.

There is supposed to be an ordinance declaring Burnham Park beyond the commerce of man, but one way or another, every now and then, enterprising individuals find a way of making a killing by organizing such fairs in the area, reportedly often with conniving city officials.

A fair was recently held at Burnham, wherein receipts were allegedly not issued by the city government but instead paid to a tourism office. The amount reportedly involves thousands of pesos and has reportedly disappeared into thin air.

The Houdinis out there must be laughing their hearts out. An investigation on the matter should be done as soon as possible to shed light on the incident and expose the culprits.

Following media exposes, Mayor Mauricio Domogan last week ordered a stop to trade fairs in the city’s premier park. But it should not end there. A probe on the culprits behind recent trade fairs and the shadowy deals should be done and where the money went.

Even ABC president and councilor Joel Alangsab couldn’t satisfactorily explain why the ABC got only around P120,000 from the latest trade fair in Burnham wherein operators reportedly got P1.2 million.

Also, how another trade fair in the area organized by the Pangbenga Foundation was conducted especially its financial status should be bared for the public. It leaves a bad taste in the mouth for a public park to be used by a private organization to make a killing out of it (in the guise of public welfare) but don’t divulge how much was raised or where the money was used.

I don’t remember any activity done by the Panagbenga Foundation for the public like humanitarian projects which includes building a school, a medical mission, giving food to poor students or pitching in for medicines of cancer or kidney patients despite the millions of pesos they have been raking in over the years. So how much is the total earnings of the foundation? Maybe the religious in the group can shed light on this.

The issue on trade fairs has opened a can of worms and the filthy smell of Pandora’s Box is oozing out courtesy of the media who have restrained themselves on the matter for so long but are now coming out I the open after finding out that officials and personalities involved, despite having it so good for so long have become more rapacious.

Now, due to the media exposes, requests from barangay officials to hold fund raising activities particularly trade fairs in the central business district (Malcolm Square and Rose Garden) has been rejected by the mayor.

A report by Paul Rillorta of the city information office said another livelihood exhibit at the Igorot Park had been ordered removed after an inspection by the licensing office, public order and safety division and police revealed a trade fair instead of an industrial and agricultural exhibit which organizers touted.

According to Domogan, “holding of fund raising activity for barangay projects can be done as it is allowed under Republic Act. 7160 Sec. 391 (11) without the need of securing a permit but it should be on an exclusive barangay property.”

Meanwhile, a group of barangay captains have raised issues on the holding of the ABC (Association of Barangay Captains) trade fair at the Juan Luna Drive requesting the city council to conduct an investigation.

The city council’s committee on market, trade and commerce chaired by Councilor Pinky Chan Rondez recommended their request for approval. Invited to shed light on the inquiry were ABC president Joel Alangsab, barangay captain Rocky Aliping, city tourism officer Benedicto Alhambra, city treasurer Thelma Manaois, city parks management officer Cordelia Lacsamana and businessmen Masahiro Okuda and Jalal Cawasatig.

A resolution to file administrative cases against government employees in violation of Republic Act 6713 was proposed by councilor Philian Louise Weygan-Allan in relation to the conduct of trade fairs in the city.

Allan said Sec. 7 of the Code “prohibits public officials and employees from soliciting or accepting, directly or indirectly any gift, gratuity, favor or anything of monetary value from any person in the course of their official duties or in connection with any operation being regulated or any transaction which may be affected by the functions of their office.”