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Baguio vendors unsure over night market

BAGUIO CITY (Jan. 19) — The city’s street vendors operating the night market along Harrison Road agreed to pay P50 per night for a six-hour stay on the road but think the period is too short to earn enough. They assert their right to their chosen livelihood and risk apprehension from market authorities.

City Mayor Braulio D. Yaranon issued Administrative Order (AO) No. 9-06 last January 17, allowing vendors to continue operation of the experimental night market.

Yaranon’s order allows each vendor a space measuring 1.5 meter by 1 meter. The AO conforms to the proposed Night Market Ordinance authored by Councilor Galo D. Weygan, which included Upper Kayang St., T. Alonzo St., and Magsaysay Avenue, among others. Weygan heads a special council committee to study and propose a night market ordinance.

The Weygan proposal specified products allowed in the night market, as follows: “woven (and knitted) materials, silver, small handcrafts, communication gadgets, RTWs , artifacts, gift items, indigenous products, dry goods, preserved foods, Baguio vegetables, handy tools, small and light hardware or electrical supplies and other tourist items”. However, the AO 9-06 did not elaborate about the allowed products.

The proposed ordinance prohibits items such as “cooked food, heavy hardware, wet items and liquor. It specifically mentioned, “No cooking, no wet food or feeding business shall be allowed in the night market.”

Yaranon observed that vendors continue operating the night market at Harrison Road even without the benefit of the AO . The experimental operations started in December 15 last year so vendors can display their wares during the Yuletide season, and lapsed on January 2. It also attempted to ease the unlegislated night market along Session Road, which informally began ahead.

In the previous year, vendors were allowed only from 8 pm to midnight. Yaranon’s order allows them from 6 pm to midnight.

“In the absence of a Night Market Ordinance (still pending at the city council, vendors may continue with their business at Harrison. But they should pay their financial obligations to the city,” Yaranon told NORDIS.

Margarita Killip, secretary-general of the Organisasyon dagiti Nakurapay nga Umili iti Syudad (Ornus) said ambulant vendors consent the daily and monthly dues to the city treasury. She reveals that the city usually daily collects P10 as market fees, and P100 monthly as business taxes. Nevertheless, she said it is not a question if the city mayor increased the fees to P50 per night.

“Ti problema ket kurang ti it-ited da nga oras kadakami tapno mapaibus dagiti aglaklako dagiti lakoda,” (The problem is that the vendors have little time to sell all their goods) Killip said referring to perishables like fruits and vegetables that could not stay fresh for a long time. “Imbag no wagwag amin a lako,” (It is applicable if all we sell are just second-hand clothes) she added.

According to Killip, a vendor must start selling very early in the morning until 9 pm to have enough earning for a day’s family needs. This includes lull hours when the vendors risk being caught by the Public Order and Safety Division, the office in charge in apprehending vendors in unauthorized places.

“Bassit ti malaon ti Harrison, (Harrison can accommodate only a few vendors) Killip lamented. “Isunga ado latta ti agreklamo, (That’s why many complain) Killip added.

The insufficient lighting in their night market area along Harrison Road is another issue the Ornus raised.

“Awan ti mabalin mi no saan a ti makitinnaray ken makiinnagaw kadagiti demolisyon iti palengke. Aglako kami latta no awan ti mangtiliw, aglemmeng kami no addada ta no saan ket pamilya mi ti mabisinan. (We cannot do anything but run and hold our wares when they would try to demolish the market. We would sell when no one is to apprehend us; we will just hide when they come. Otherwise, our families will go hungry) Killip said.

Some 100 vendors have joined Ornus. Most of them are ambulant vendors who roam the streets to evade possible arrest. Some take the risk confronting market authorities; others have joined the night market but still sell at daytime.

Another group, the Baguio City United Vendors Association claims a membership of more than 3,000.

Ambulant vendors residing in the city have been plying major streets such as Session, General Luna and Harrison Roads, Perfecto and Mabini Streets, and Magsaysay Avenue, including the city’s parks, among others to eke out a living, defying the state law that says, “Streets and parks are beyond the commerce of men.”

For months now, Session Road has been hosting a night market way before Yaranon issued the first night market AO. Similarly, flower growers also sell plants and flowers along Magsaysay Avenue from 8 pm onwards on Mondays and Thursdays. # Lyn V. Ramo for NORDIS

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