Vendors’ apron up for public hearing

BAGUIO CITY -- His peers at the city legislature agree his intentions are good, yet feel city councilor Edison Bilog’s proposal to require all market vendors, including sidewalk peddlers, to wear color-coded aprons while selling might do more harm than good.

The proposed ordinance was up for second reading but the city council Monday deferred passage and have the measure subjected to a public hearing.

“Will it not legitimize street vendors?,” asked councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda, expressing the fears of other members that peddlers would misconstrue the apron as some badge validating their occupation of sidewalks and other pedestrian walkways.

“How can this ordinance put order to a chaotic market?,” asked councilor Isabelo Cosalan Jr.  while councilor Elmer Datuin said the staff of the city market supervisor would be overburdened by adding to their work the enforcement of the apron-wearing requirement.

The council’s committee on market, trade and commerce headed by councilor Perlita Rondez earlier recommended approval on second reading of the proposed ordinance and that of a similar measure filed by vice-mayor Daniel Farinas.

Fianza, a member of the committee, however, asked, “but will this not legalize use of sidewalks for vending?”

Bilog explained his proposal was intended to help tidy up the market, and also for health and tourism purposes, not to legitimize sidewalk vending.

“Public and private market and  talipapa vendors can contribute and play a vital part in exercising a healthy Baguio City if they themselves are neat, tidy and careful while plying and selling their trades, products and services,” Bilog said in his proposal.

“With a color-coded apron system that is both useful and pleasing to the sight of market-goers it may somehow put order to the otherwise chaotic sight that is observed in the public as well as private Baguio markets,” the measure added.

He recommended  red apron for meat, fish, lechon, chicken and poultry vendors; green for those selling fruits, vegetables and groceries; white for eatery and dry goods vendors; and electric blue for all sidewalk vendors.

 He pegged the fines for violations are P300 for the first offense, P500 for the second and P700 per violation for the third.

Exempted in the proposal titled “The Baguio City Market Vendors’ Apron Identification System” are vendors in malls and shopping complexes. – Ramon Dacawi