City to pursue put up of P75 million Gibraltar Satellite market

28 July 2021 – The city will pursue the proposed construction of the 5-storey Gibraltar satellite market to help entice people to patronize tit and help decongest the existing public market at the central business district area from heavy foot traffic.

However, City Administrator Bonifacio dela Peña stated that the P75 million available for the project is sufficient to fund the initial three floors of the proposed structure while funds for the remaining 2 floors will still be sourced out from the future allocations that will be made by the city.

The proposed Gibraltar satellite market is one of the city government’s priority development projects towards decongesting the city public market from heavy foot traffic and provide residents in nearby barangays with easier access to the supply of goods.

Initially, the city earmarked some P50 million for this proposed structure but the revised plans and design increased its cost to P110 million and the local government does not have sufficient funds to pursue the said full implementation of the project.

However, Dela Peña disclosed that the city’s finance officers sourced out additional funds in the amount of P75 million which will be the one that will be bided out for implementation in the coming months.

According to him, the proposed Gibraltar satellite market building will be provided with basement parking for stallholders, delivery trucks and the public.

Based on the study conducted by the traffic and transportation management division of the City Engineering Office (CEO), there are limited parking slots available in the satellite market structure and recommended that the said slots will be for delivery trucks, senior citizens and persons with disabilities to prevent further congestions in the area.

Further, Engr. Januario Borillo, head of the CEO-TTMD, proposed the improvement of the sidewalks and the roads leading to the satellite market area to allow people to park their vehicles in nearby parking spaces and walk to the market.

He admitted that Leonard Wood Road, one of the city’s main roads leading to the Gibraltar satellite market, is a congested road line that needs traffic mitigating measures to be put in place prior to the eventual operation of the facility to prevent further traffic jams in the area.

The city will be sourcing out the additional funding required for the rest of the floors to ensure that more stallholders will be accommodated aside from a multipurpose hall for future gatherings of the barangays and groups.

The City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO) will be preparing the final plans and specifications of the proposed Gibraltar satellite market as the basis for the required public bidding for the qualified contractors who will implement this priority development project. – Dexter A. See