Tuesday, January 29, 2008 'Zero-vending' policy backed by laws: official
AMID claims by the Baguio Market Plaza Cooperative Multipurpose Cooperative (Bamapcom) manager Joseph Cacal that there's nothing in the City's Tax Ordinance 2000-001) barring anyone from conducting business anywhere in the city, the City Government's "zero-vending policy will still be pursued to the hilt."
Public Order and Safety Division (POSD) chief Gregorio Deligero assured they would not be deterred. "What we are doing is in line with our mandated function," he said.
"Besides, we have case laws and national laws on our side," he added.
During his 100th day report on the city's anti-vending drive, Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. said: "Hundreds may cry upon our actions, (but) let us consider that we were successful in bringing back smiles, comfort and security to the self-effacing housewife."
Deligero said in line with the mayor's stand, "there is in fact a standing order by the mayor not to collect cuartais (tariff over goods) against illegal vendors in the market as a means of advancing the city's anti-vending policy."
"Contrary to Bamapcom's observations that we are tolerating illegal vending in the market, we have in fact heightened effort to curb encroachments over easements," Deligero added.
He sighed: "We cannot renege from the mayor's orders to bring easements back to the public just because somebody decided to interpret a local law to suit their own purposes."
"For one, the coverage of market entrance fees alluded to by Cacal refer to all suppliers, supplier-vendors, and vendors who legitimately distribute goods to stallholders or those who acquire goods directly from an outside source for sale in their own stalls," he said.
"Thus, the peddler as defined in the ordinance is not the same as an illegal peddler as one may surmise," Deligerio said.
What makes a peddler illegal vendor are: one, the omission of payment for annual business permit fees; two, the act of selling merchandise in places where legitimate vendors and buyers pass (designated passage ways or alleys); and three, the sale of goods outside the city market."
He explained: "Even if you pay cuartais, it doesn't give you the right to sell."
As to the claims of Cacal that Ordinance 2000-001 allows peddlers to sell anywhere, Deligerio said: "The ordinance is never clearer in assigning sections according to articles being sold. It even penalizes violators by expulsion."
"Besides, it is even provided that all articles for sale must be displayed strictly within the confines of the stalls," he said. (IL)
