THE City Environment Parks and Management Office (Cepmo) of Baguio is seeking for legislative action from the City Council to regulate the number of vendors at Burnham Park.
Cepmo head Cordelia Lacsamana brought out to the City Council during their session Monday the alarming number of vendors at Burnham Park.
"It is manageable if we are only dealing with the legitimate vendors," she said adding the problem is the crowding of ambulant vendors.
Of the 296 vendors in the prominent park, only 122 are legitimate and the other 174 are ambulant.
The number of ambulant vendors is composed of 43 silver jewelry vendors; 27 who sell peeled fruits and chicharon; 21 fruit vendors; 16 toys and balloon vendors; 15 mineral water vendors; 10 ice cream vendors.
In addition, there are also eight key chain vendors; eight taho vendors; eight peanut brittle vendors; eight vendors of knitted garments; three biko and pinipig vendors; two vendors of mineral water and snacks; two cotton candy vendors; two snow cream vendors; and one coffee vendors.
"We have to understand that Burnham Park is supposed to be a pedestrianized park," said Lacsamana emphasizing too many vendors will cause congestion in the park.
Moreover, she said while Department of Labor and Employment and Department of Trade and Industry's aid to vendors through roving carts are well appreciated as they are good initiatives for livelihood, they should already stop giving such as more vendors will swarm in Burnham.
She highlighted not all forms of livelihood cannot be accomodated in the park.
Speaking with her knowledge on parks and environment, she said there should no more addition to the current number of legitimate vendors.
This as accommodating too many vendors will invite more and will cause congestion and disarray in the park.
To maintain order, Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda suggested there should be a designated commercial area and an established pasalubong center within the park where people can go to to avail of any products while they enjoy the scenery of the park.
"We do not want Burnham to be a livelihood center at last resort," Lacsamana responded adding the Baguio City market has a portion where different products are sold including souvenirs, which is just a walk away from Burnham.
Furthermore she highlighted they cannot construct any establishment in any portion of the park unless it is integrated in the master development plan of the Burnham Park.
In the absence of a blueprint or the master development plan, she stressed they cannot accommodate a commercial or pasalubong center.
Lacsamana, however, cited a building which can be established including one near the Civil Service Commission-Baguio office.
Lacsamana said the building is being occupied by the Baguio Tourism Council but she committed her office will look into it if it is indeed possible to make it a commercial center.
With the concern raised by CEPMO over the swarming of vendors in Burnham Park, the City Council is yet to study the situation for possible legislation of any measures of regulation to sustain the order and the tourist-friendly image of the prominent park.