IF Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan had his way, he would find means in exempting vegetable truckers in the ban.
"On my part if I have the authority and power in the existing ordinance, I will exclude them. I have no power to exempt them -that is the problem, that's why I said before they should have had amended the ordinance so that there is a leeway," the mayor said.
Earlier, the League of Associations at La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Area Inc. has sought the help of the mayor to lift the truck ban.
The group, one of the largest providers of highland vegetables in the country, wrote to Domogan to seek redress regarding the city’s truck ban ordinance.
"December 15-31 is considered the peak of vegetable trading wherein the volume of vegetables being purchased doubles. This is in response to the increase of demand from the different key markets in the country. With the said lifting, the trading and hauling of the 2.5M kilograms a day will be faster and easier. Likewise, it will be a meaningful gift to the 130, 000 farmers of Benguet, not to include farmers from Mountain Province and Tinoc, Ifugao," the letter states.
Domogan instead sought the understanding of the traders and truckers on the truck ban ordinance.
“Hoping for the affected stakeholders understanding,” the mayor said and advised the truckers who are affected in the ban should pass through available alternate routes.
"Usually, from La Trinidad there is Longlong Road to Marcos Highway. Maybe they can traverse to Shilan exiting through Beckel," added Domogan.
The mayor said the truck ban helps decongest traffic in the city especially during peak hours.
La Trinidad Mayor Romeo Salda, meanwhile, urged truckers and traders to conduct early transactions in the trading post to depart early while others given exemption should use their gate pass.
Salda issued on December 22 Executive Order No. 15, an order lifting the number coding scheme in the municipality from December 27 to 29 as the municipality braces for the influx of tourists, and buyers of vegetables at the trading post.
“In order to accommodate and give better mobility to the tourists, and La Trinidad residents, there arises the need to suspend the number coding scheme in effect in the municipality of La Trinidad,” Salda said.