BAGUIO CITY (Jan. 24) — The City’s Public Order and Safety Division (POSD) team is continuously confiscating goods from the alleged illegal vendors and peddlers on all streets of the city public market.

The POSD and Baguio City Police Office started to roam around at 4:00 PM on all corner of the market. These included New Carinderia Building, Zandueta St. 1st, 2nd and 3rd Kayang, as well as Hilltop street.

Street vendors and peddlers from all sides of the market started to fix their goods and try to run away from the POSD team.

Pherve Soriano, POSD field supervisor spearheaded the daily confiscation of goods from illegal vendors and peddlers. “This is to maintain the cleanliness and permanently clear the market from illegal vendors,” he said.

Different reactions was heard from the vendors during the clearing up operation. Fely Kimpay, president of the vendors in the vegetables section said, “ Alam namin na ang ginagawa nilang kumpiskasyon ay para sa pagpapanatili ng kalinisan sa palengke, pero sana naman ay payagan kami na magtinda hanggang sa gutter ng sidewalk kasi hindi naman kami nakakasagabal sa daan” ( We know that the confiscation is for the cleanliness of the market but we hope that they would allow us to sell up to the sidewalk’s gutter because we are not causing any problem on the sidewalk).

Yolly Daytep, one of the itinerant vendors whose goods were confiscated said, “ Paano naman kami sir, kung patuloy n’yong kukumpiskahin ang mga paninda namin, paano naman ang hanapbuhay namin, mangaasi kayo kadi?”( How about us sir, if you keep on confiscating our goods how about our livelihood, have some consideration on us?)

A Maranao trader who opt for anonymity said, “Before the government implements a clean up drive in the market, it should first rehabilitate the city market. Magulo, walang kaayusan kaya magandang planuhin muna nilang mabuti”. ( Chaotic, there’s no order that’s why it is better if they plan it well first)

On the other hand, Soriano reacted that if the POSD will grant their request and let the other illegal vendors to continue selling, others will complain saying that POSD is selective. The confiscation will be implemented from all illegal vendors in the market as a whole, this was stated on the notice we received from the mayor’s office, he added.

As regard to the confiscation, POSD chief Emmanuel Reyes said that there will be a dialogue regarding relocation extension to accommodate some 4000 vendors.

Acting Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. said that the government is bent in conducting the clean up drive in the public market to enable the city to do the zoning and for the vendors to go to the proper places. He said he plans to refresh the asphalt of the market roads before the Panagbenga. He also participated in the cleaning up operation particularly in Magsaysay and Harrison overpass last January 25 in the evening.# Jackielou Lagran for NORDIS