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Friday, November 19, 2004
Night market operations stopped
By Fred P. Macaraeg
VENDORS at the new Dagupan Malimgas Market are willing to operate at night now that the streets and sidewalks of ambulant vendors near it have been cleared and the market well lighted.
Manuel "Butch" Gutierrez, head of the anti-hawking group, likewise said the night street market operation has been cancelled.
"There is an order from Mayor Benjamin S. Lim for the stoppage of the night street market operation because there are many residents complaining along Galvan Street that they could hardly get out and in of their houses," he said.
He added they also fear that when there is fire, their houses could not be salvaged.
"The vendors are willing to open their stores at night until dawn to provide the needs of the people," Gutierrez said.
He expressed optimism that the market vendors could provide goods offered by the night street vendors.
The anti-hawking group leader said that what is being addressed is cleanliness in the city.
He pointed out that the revenue being earned by the city government from cash tickets issued to the street vendors is much below the expenditure in cleaning the street.
"We will make a study of it so that we can support the new market," he said.
Gutierrez said the problem of the night street vendors, who are not from Dagupan, is if they leave their garbage on the street.
While he admitted that there was agreement for the vendors to scoop their wastes during a dialogue conducted with them by his group and the Waste Management Division, he said there had been no action undertake by the vendors.
"Another thing is that they do not want their stall be put in order. When we moved to put things in order, they themselves quarreled among each other," he said.
Gutierrez further disclosed that since the night vendors are purportedly supplying the city with their products, he talked to them to supply the vendors inside the new market.
"It could be recalled that hardly one entered the old Malimgas market because it was dark, dirty and odorous so it had been the wont of the vendors to sell at day and close at nighttime. But now that we already have a well-lighted and clean rider, they are willing to open even at nighttime," he said.
Gutierrez disclosed, moreover, that the time frame for the clearing of vendors from the sidewalks along A.B. Fernandez Avenue, Burgos Street, Perez Boulevard and M.H. del Pilar Street in Dagupan would be up to November 29 this year.
"Our men will start going around to make the announcement of the deadline. On November 30, we will conduct the clearing operation. It will be a joint operation with the city police, the Public Order and Safety Office and the WMD," he said.
As to the reported discriminate ejection of ambulant vendors at the Magsaysay fish market area, he said they are not favoring anybody in that place.
"We will remove everything there below the fish market, even those at the riverbank at the side of the Mele's restaurant. If they could see anybody being favored, they could report it to our office," he said.
Admitting there is no relocation site yet for the would-be ejected vendors, Gutierrez said they have been looking for place and if they could find a suitable place, then the vendors would be informed.
He pointed out that since the new market is the first priority of the mayor that it has been made beautiful, so there is a need to support it.
Gutierrez added that since it now almost Christmas season and heavy traffic is being expected in the city, "we have to clear our streets to ease the city of heavy vehicular traffic."
(November 19, 2004 issue)
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