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Sidewalk vending: alternative to unemployment

BAGUIO CITY (May 13) — Many find sidewalk vending an alternative solution to this country’s lack of economic sustenance as shown by a documentary film recently launched at the University of the Philippines Baguio.

The documentary, cleverly entitled, “Sidewalk Capitalism” was the product of a six months study done by Malaysian Professor and an Asian Public Intellectual member, Daniel Yeoh. The film served as a window for Baguio City’s sidewalk vendors to voice out their sensibilities pertaining to their lives, as well as their occupation.

The documentary featured several Cordillera, as well as Muslim vendors, most of whom migrated from Mindanao.

Gafur Gunting, a vendor and vice president of Muslim Traders Association, explained that life in southern Philippines is so spiteful, that the smartest option would be to move to a new place. He said that the lack of government’s guidance caused their hometown to have no means of economic system.

“No crops would grow and there are no more fish to catch,” Gunting said of livelihood opportunities in the south.

Diokno Pangandamen said he would never go back to his hometown because Luzon has better governance and tolerates better the Muslim peoples.

Enough food on the table

The lives of these sidewalk vendors revolve around having just enough food on the table and sending their children to school. Anything more is considered a luxury.

For Ramon Tamayo, an ice cream and balut vendor, his extra would be saving enough money for his family while getting the chance to visit them in the province.

Unfortunately, the local government’s demolition or anti-peddling team is threatening sidewalk vendors.

A memorandum from the city mayor states that an anti-peddling team from the government should be operating daily from 7:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. Seized goods can be claimed at the City Treasurer’s Office; with a P1,000.00 fine, which some vendors admit could not afford because the cost is often higher than the price of the seized goods.

Anti-vendor measures

Once there was a proposal that sidewalk vendors should only sell during nighttime.

Nora Saulo, a vendor, argued that the mayor’s order is impractical for there are fewer buyers during the night and it could endanger their life and property.

Another measure which most vendors did not like was the infamous “night market”, where all sidewalk vendors will be confined along Harrison Road only to sell from 8:00 to 11:00 P.M. This, too, was only temporary.

The most recent agreement suggested that vendors will be allowed to sell as long as they are not obstructing the streets and walkways. Unfortunately, violence resulting from the conflict between the “demolition team” and the vendors is inevitable.

In 2004, Zenaida Pingkawed, a fruit vendor, suffered beating from the authorities. This almost cost her fetus she was then carrying when she was punched in the belly when she was 3 months pregnant.

Not racial discrimination

Another cause for commotion is the alleged “discrimination”. It is said that the Muslim vendors suffer more brutality from local authorities than native vendors do. This could be rooted from the “ka-ilian” mentality of Cordillera where people tend to protect those with whom they identify. Yeoh clarified that this is not a case of racial discrimination. He said that resistance is more evident among the Muslim vendors because most Muslim vendors are men. He added that Cordillera vendors are mostly women and therefore are treated more gently. He later suggested that both sides should have a dialogue to patch things up and clear whatever reservations they have.

Sidewalk vendors are judged as an eyesore in this beautiful city. Mr. Gunting argued that should the government provide more jobs for all Filipinos, these vendors would be out of the streets. Nevertheless, he said, sidewalk vending is a job - a means of survival for most city dwellers. # Angela Malicdem for NORDIS

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