BAGUIO City Councilor Elaine Sembrano is backing plans to empty Burnham Park of trade fairs during the flowers festival next year.
“Let Juan Luna be open to traffic to ease our problem sa Panagbenga,” Sembrano said.
Mayor Maurico Domogan this week announced the Baguio Blooms exposition and exhibition will not be utilizing Burnham Park’s Juan Luna Drive to ease traffic congestion in the central business district.
The chief executive said the skating rink area is currently being eyed as venue for the BFF event.
Executive committee co-chairman Anthony De Leon said a possible site has been identified outside Burnham Park but refused to disclose it as of press time.
Sembrano is backing the decision to not use Burnham for BFF trade fairs and landscaping competitions.
Sembrano also said there is no need to set up the annual trade fair at the park.
“No need for the Burnham in Bloom since what are sold there are also sold sa market,” she said.
The lady lawmaker said legitimate market vendors are affected by the trade fairs during the festival season.
“Affected ang sale ng mga taga market who are paying an annual permit,” she added.
Sembrano also commented on the annual landscape competition situtated also at the Juan Luna Drive.
“Isa pa na question about the landscape, maganda but we could put it around the skating rink. Sa galing ng organizer ng Panagbenga mapapaganda nila. Lagyan natin maraming ilaw sa gabi. Cancelling trade fair sa Juan Luna will address problem ng questions of favoritism sa awarding and dagdag sa mga pwesto after how many are to be set up,” Sembrano added.
This year, market vendors aired opposition to the setup of trade fairs at the central business district saying their sales are affected. Hundreds of vendors lobbied earlier in the year to thumb down a trade fair at Burnham Park saying as much as 70 percent of expected sales from 2,000 merchants from the market area.
Vendors lament because of the Baguio Flower Festival trade fairs at Session Road and Burnham Park, visitors opt not to go to the market area anymore to get items pointing to Panagbenga Market Encounter as one of the causes of reduced profits.
Vendors say seller also utilize products from the trade fair the same with market items, making tourists and locals prefer to buy from the area rather than exploring the market area which have various sections and products.