Who’s behind the Baratillo and Tinday Labi?
IT REMAINS a mystery as to who is running and pocketing the revenues from stall rental fees at the ongoing “Baratillo” in Dagupan, operated 24/7 on Galvan Street, and the Tindaay Labi on part of A.B. Fernandez Avenue on the nights of Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Baratillo stallholders, who are being charged P40,000 to P50,000, told the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) that they are paying on installment basis daily to a certain “George Yambao” who issues an unregistered and unlabeled receipt.
Both the Baratillo and Tindaay Labi are traditional official events of the city fiesta celebration in December.
The SP is conducting an inquiry into the allegation that monies paid by participating vendors intended for the city government are being pocketed by ranking city officials, one of whom is reportedly a councilor in the minority.
Since the city council has not passed a resolution governing the conduct of the city fiesta, the inquiry is aimed at ensuring that revenues from the fiesta activities accrue to the city government.
City Treasurer Romelita Alcantara has been asked to confirm or deny that the daily collections from stall rentals in both fiesta events are being remitted to her office.
Members of the Malimgas Aliguas Dagupan Vendors Federation Inc. (Madavfi), who have been affected by these temporary markets, and stallholders of the Baratillo requested the council inquiry.
Members of the Madavfi have complained that the Baratillo stalls were positioned at the entrance and exit of the Malimgas Public Market, giving them undue competition.
FOOD STRIP
Both the City Fiesta Executive Committee chairman, Councilor and Liga ng Barangay Federation president Guillermo Vallejos, and Councilor Chester Gonzales, Sangguniang Kabataan Federation president, as assistant chairman of the fiesta executive committee, were absent during the council’s last session.
Both Vallejos and Gonzales belong to the minority in the sanggunian led by Councilor Brian Lim.
Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, who chairs the SP, said that aside from these two activities, city hall has also launched the “Food Strip” on Zamora Street again sans a resolution from the SP suspending the effectivity of the traffic ordinance on this road.
Fernandez said the fiesta executive committee and the activity heads are in violation of the law.
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