Crackdown set vs vendors, buildings on Baguio streets

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – A crackdown on illegal vendors along sidewalks and unauthorized stalls at the city market will be waged soon.

 Mayor Mauricio Domogan last week said a plan will be laid down by concerned offices led by the Baguio City Market Authority to implement the clearing operations once the improvement projects being undertaken at the city market have been completed.

            

The mayor said the clearing and sidewalks and summary removal of all unauthorized structures is needed anew to restore the zoning policy at market. 

            

A similar campaign was implemented by the mayor in 2010 along Zandueta, Kayang and Hilltop roads where illegal extensions were rampant.

At present there are still numerous illegal stalls owned by enterprising vendors who continue to defy the city’s rules despite the city’s efforts to give vendors legitimate vending spaces.

The mayor said they plan to hire additional personnel for the public order and safety division (POSD) to tackle the problem on illegal vending.

The crackdown will be part of the reforms which the mayor said he will pursue to weed out illegal activities and put back order at the supposed show window of the city.

            

These reforms will include the intensification of the implementation of the waste disposal rules in the area particularly in the compliance with the dumping schedule and segregation requirements, the scrapping of the daily collection of cuartais, and the full implementation of the terms of the lease contracts with the vendors and go after those with delinquencies in rental fees.

He said the city will also impose the provisions in the tax ordinance governing constructions and improvements, partnership, personal administration of stalls, the use of dummies and sub-lease of stalls, and vacancy of stalls before the expiration of the lease, and the bidding out of stalls to give equal opportunities to qualified traders.

           

Improvement projects being planned at the city market included the putting up of a clinic to cater to emergency medical needs of the occupants and client and the conversion of the area between Blocks III and IV into a greenbelt area.