Put up of district satellite markets eyed

The City Council, during last Monday’s regular session, approved on first reading a proposed ordinance strengthening the existing satellite markets and establishing additional district satellite markets in the city, allocating funds and for other purposes.

The ordinance authored by Councilor Leandro B. Yangot, Jr. tasked the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) to identify potential areas where additional satellite markets can be established in districts where there are still no satellite markets.

Further, the City Building and Architecture Office (CBAO) was also tasked to prepare a uniform design for the proposed district satellite markets to be established in strategic areas in the city.

The ordinance stipulated that the Baguio City Market Authority (BCMA) is likewise tasked to submit to the city legislative body through the Committee on Market, Trade and Commerce a periodic report of the status of all the satellite markets operating in the city.

The ordinance mandates the allocation of the amount of P5 million from the city’s general fund for the successful implementation of the proposed measure.

According to the ordinance, there is a need to strengthen the existing satellite markets in the city, including the management, maintenance and operation to ensure sustenance and continuity of operation as well as to establish additional satellite markets in areas where its establishment is needed in order that all the city’s 29 districts can have their respective satellite markets.

The proponent admits that in the city, there are existing satellite markets but some of them were not officially included and recorded as part of the city’s public market.

The Baguio City Market Code provides that satellite markets form part and parcel of the Baguio City public market and that the city government is duty-bound to include these areas of maintenance, management and operation.

The ordinance explains that satellite markets, when managed well, serve as vital part of a healthy urban economy that encourage innovation, create economic activity and most of all, lower the cost of entry to the public market.

Moreover, satellite markets are just one way the city government can encourage economic activity that allow micro-business ventures to act as incubators of innovation and jobs and as an added benefit, they contribute to the environment by creating interesting urban destinations not only for market trade and commerce but also for tourism attraction.

This concept can be used to utilize open idle spaces as general purpose open spaces for the public realm and this can boost the city’s economy and culture.

The ordinance asserts that establishment of satellite markets is the best solution to decongest the present Baguio City public market and streets in the central business district from itinerant vendors and market goers who, incidentally, are among the major contributors to the traffic congestion in the central business district area. – Dexter A. See