Weekly cleaning of Baguio City public market sought

BAGUIO CITY – The city council made an ordinance last week mandating weekly clean up drive for market vendors to make the public market here cleaning as consumers increase.
    Under resolution 555, series of 2022, local legislators said to address problems on cleanliness, among others, there are existing programs and projects that had already been put in place previously such as the clean-up drive, ‘tapat ko, linis ko,’ ‘each one, plant one’, were crafted to initiate practice of cleanliness by prime movers like the Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP), Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP), local government units, and Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) which have been enhanced through the years.
    During the Scout Officials for A Day (SOFAD) regular session held on Nov. 7, the SOFAD Council adapted the proposal of SOFAD Councilor Jahosheda Joy V. Jose which sought establishment of a safe marketing place by having a weekly activity for market vendors.
    The council said a clean market for a better environment is a project that involves vendors in cleaning the market place, especially in the city’s wet market, helping out vendors to be more responsible and prevent them from anticipating the city’s help in cleaning their areas.
    The body said people tend to buy their needs in groceries rather in traditional market places due to the market’s conditions and appearance which leads buyers unable to buy local products from the market thereby affecting the source of livelihood of the vendors.
    According to the council, the market becomes a breeding ground for diseases because of its condition, putting the consumers and dealer’s health at risk.

The market’s canal or drainage system gets clogged by dirt such as fish scales, dust, hairs, among others, which cause some parts of the wet market to be flooded, aside from the fact that some sellers are less responsible for their things like carts and crates which invite pests, rats and insects, making their goods unsafe for consumption.

The council said it is the responsibility of the owner, lessee, occupant of a commercial establishment to maintain the cleanliness of the sidewalks, curb and gutters, and canals fronting their establishments.

The council said weekly clean up drive shall be coordinated with the GSP and BSP and other volunteers from the youth and other organizations and the schedule and announcements be posted in the City Public Information Office and at the conspicuous places at the city public market to inform the public of the said program for them to be encouraged to join the activity. -- Dexter A. See