Execs mull night market extension to parking lot

By Jho Arranz

BAGUIO CITY – “Wagwag” or sale of used clothes here is bullish with the Baguio City Market Authority planning to extend night market activities along Harrison Road to the Ganza Restaurant site previously the Jadewell parking area.

BCMA officials said the night market along Harrison proved to be a good source of income to Baguio residents and boosted the tourism industry in this mountain resort.

Said proposed night market extension can accommodate about 500 additional vendors giving priority to regular walk-ins.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan disclosed that the city collects an average of 1.5 million per month from the night market during dry and peak season while less than 1 million during rainy season.

The whole stretch of Harrison Road accommodates around 1200 vendors selling second hand clothes and shoes, accessories, street foods, among others is being monitored by the Public Order and Safety Division (POSD) personnel of the mayor’s office.  

With the proposed night market extension, a significant number of qualified and interested vendors will have the opportunity to vend their products so as to alleviate their standard of living.

Domogan stressed that it will be the BCMA who will screen and evaluate the applications on the night market vending giving priority to the regular walk-ins. 

The same rules and regulations at the Harrison Road will be followed once the said extension is approved. 

The Harrison Road is being utilized from 9PM until 4AM for night market vending.   

On the other hand, the city through the City Engineers Office is working on the improvement and installation of lighting system so as buyers will have a better look at the products they are buying.

Meanwhile, the city government here is now managing the Ganza parking area considering that the contract with the jadewell has already lapsed because of the long years of court disputes and conflicts on the legitimacy of the development deal.