Mines View vendors given ultimatum: Move or leave

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio Domogan has given Mines View vendors an ultimatum: occupy the Mines View Park Multi-Purpose building or give up their slots to interested bidders.

           

The mayor said the city has given in to the vendors’ demand for lower rental rates but if they will still refuse to transfer to the building, then the city will bid out the stalls to other interested parties.

           

The vendors will then be removed from their present locations within the park as the city will begin the development work to improve Mines View Park and revive its status as a park.

           

“We have no choice but to let them occupy the building built for the purpose of relocating them.  We have granted their request for lower rates but if they will still refuse, then we will bid out the stalls but they have to get out of the park,” the mayor stressed.

           

The mayor will set a meeting with the vendors to map out the transfer.

The city council earlier approved Resolution No. 30 series of 2013 giving Mayor Mauricio Domogan the imprimatur to conduct the one-year experimental operation using the experimental rental rates to pave the way for the occupancy of the building.

            

The rates schedule was included some of the charges proposed by the vendors themselves.

            

The final experimental rates as submitted by the committee on market, trade and commerce member Councilor Peter Fianza were: Ground Floor: frontage stalls – P2,500; inner stalls – P2,250; extra units – P3,500; Second Floor: regular – P1,500; extra units—P2,500; Third Floor: regular – P1,250; extra units – P2,000; Fourth Floor: -- regular – P1,000; extra units P1,500; and fastfood spaces – P1,250.             

            

The city and the vendors failed to agree on a common schedule prompting the committee recommend the conduct of an experimental operation using a lower rates schedule.

            

This will be subject to the conditions that the spaces on the fourth floor originally designed for plant and food vendors who are to be relocated in other areas of the building may be leased to others not necessarily members of the open market association and that a report on the conduct of the experiment shall be submitted to finalize the ordinance.

            

As per the guidelines in stall allocation, the city will give priority to the 73 legitimate members of the Mines View Open Market Vendors Association while the remaining stalls will be awarded to other legitimate stallholders listed in the Memorandum of Agreement between the city and the vendors.  

            

The building which cost P50 million was conceived to solve the vending problem that hounded the Mines View Park and put back order in the area in the hope of reclaiming its status as a park and favorite tourist hub.