EIGHT years after it was opened in 2004, the Malimgas Public Market continues to be a burden to the city government rather than a revenue source as occupancy rate remains at just 60 percent.

This was confirmed by the city’s market superintendent Carlito Vallo when he presented the budget of his office before the Sangguniang Panlungsod last week when he admitted that the market, built under the previous term of incumbent Mayor Benjamin Lim, still has not attracted enough tenants.

The three-storey Malimgas Market was financed from a P257 million loan obtained by the city government from the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), which the city government continues to pay to date.

Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, chair of the SP, said records show that Dagupan is incurring a P20 million deficit every year in operating the Malimgas Market.

Vallo said out of the 667 stalls on the first and second floors, only 405 are occupied. The carpark on the third floor continues to be unused due to the steep incline leading to it.

The wet market at the first floor, only 288 out of 454 stalls or 63% are occupied.

The second floor, reserved for dry goods and service shops, only 117 out of 242 stalls or 48% are rented out.

Vallo said the number of tenants decreased in 2011 after the city government shut down 25 stalls whose owners failed to settle their arrears but the collection from the market last year increased by P6 million after delinquent stallholders finally made good on their promissory notes.

HIGH RATES

When asked by Councilor Jesus Canto, chairman on the committee on market, why traders refuse to occupy stalls in the Malimgas Market, Vallo surmised it is because of the high rental rates.

Canto further noted that flea markets held in the vicinity of the Malimgas, including those organized during celebrations such as the city fiesta in December and the Bangus Festival in April, giving the building’s tenants undue competition.

Canto said he is currently drafting an ordinance that will regulate operation of flea markets in the city to ensure that these are held away from the Malimgas market or to hold these at the market’s vacant third floor.

Vallo, for his part, suggested that flea markets in the city must give priority to traders from Dagupan and the occupants of the Malimgas Market.

NO INCOME FOR CITY

Vallo also admitted during the hearing that that no income goes to the market office from the operation of flea markets held in the city when asked on how much the city earns from flea market operations.

The councilors expressed surprise at the response since flea market stallholders, such as those from the fiesta last December, reported paying P30,000 to P50,000 per stall to organizers.

On plans for the market’s viability, Vallo reported that the city mayor recently organized a task force, headed by Deborah Beltran Castillo, executive assistant to Lim to promote the city as a major trading center.

The city council is set to invite Castillo to inquire about her programs.

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