Status quo on Session market fees pushed

By Jordan G. Habbiling

BAGUIO CITY -- The City Council is set to approve a resolution requesting the City Treasury Office status quo on collection of fees and taxes of vendors at the Sunday Session Road Market. 
    The resolution  penned by Councilor Philian Weygan-Allan to be discussed by the members of the city council in their next regular session on May 23.
    Based on the records submitted to the council, the fees of retailers at the Sunday Session Road Market had increased from P250 to P722 while the fees of vendors selling food had gone up from P650 to P879.
    During the regular session on April 11, Fernando Ragma, Local Treasury Operations Office IV, said the increase was justified because taxes and fees of vendors at the Sunday Session Road Market were far lower than vendors during  the Panagbenga Session Road in Bloom. 
    He added the Sunday Session Road Market vendors had lesser requirements compared to regular vendors.
    According to him, the vendors applying for a special permit were not required to obtain a zoning clearance, barangay clearance, occupancy permit, and not obligated to have a contract with the city government.
    Likewise, he said, the regular Sunday event is held at the heart of the city and on a prime road.
    He said vendors generated a combined gross revenue amounting to P27.99 million in 2021 and P4.17 million in January and February of 2022 alone.  
    The council members, however, questioned the increase in the fees of vendors in various market activities in the city such as the Sunday Session Road Market and the Night Market. 
    They said there was no city council resolution nor a Baguio City Market Authority resolution to serve as a basis for the said increase. 
    Weygan-Allan also questioned the assessment of the gross income of the vendors which was the basis for the computation of the increase of fees.
    “The sales [computed gross income] were not reflective of the actual situation. A vendor who had zero sales last year because of the pandemic is charged P722.00,” she said.
    Alex Cabarrubias, City Treasurer, said the vendors may contest the computation of their gross income.
     “When they contest, they must bring with them their records like their Internal Tax Returns, their blue books, or their financial statements. It’s they who know their actual gross income after all,” Cabarrubias said.
    Earlier, the city council passed a resolution requesting the City Treasury Office for a status quo on the collection of the weekly night market fee.
    The night market fee paid by vendors was P350.
    But starting March 14, 2022, they were charged P500.00.
    Cabarrubias said the night market fee had already reverted to P350.00 starting May 9, 2022.