A BAGUIO City Councilor Philian Weygan-Allan has given assurance to legitimate Gibraltar vendors of stalls in the market.
The city councilor was quick to address misinformation on the upcoming satellite market in the area.
“We are scheduling community dialogue with churches, schools and other organizations in the barangay for information dissemination about the Gibraltar satellite market as there are already misinformation being passed by a group of vendors,” Allan said.
She said there are 41 legitimate vendors according to the licensing office and revealed the market will have 145 slots.
“In 2019 as soon as I sat as the chairperson of the market, trade, commerce and agriculture, I went through pending ordinances and one of which was the satellite markets. We have consolidated the ordinance including that was filed by Councilor Elaine Sembrano and former Councilor Leandro Yangot,” the councilor said.
“Through the process of the consultations and legislative actions to make this pass, we in city hall found out some disturbing concerns. What started as a payong market became a talipapa with stalls,” Allan said, adding that some stalls were converted into living quarters with some being rented out.
The councilor said, according to the City Buildings and Architecture Office in Baguio, these structures do not have building permits.
She noted that “some of these structures have encroached into the rivers/creeks. She also questioned why the City Environment and Parks Management Office failed to clear them.
“These stalls have been converted into living quarters and no longer are stalls or only partly stall. During the consultation one asked why the permits and licensing division have not closed them,” Allan said.