City streets closed for baratillo, food strip
WITHOUT ORDINANCE
THE cart came ahead of the horse in Dagupan City anew.
This was the case because parts of Galvan, Jovellanos, and Zamora streets were already closed to give way to a flea market (baratillo) and “food strip”, even before the Sangguniang Panlungsod could pass a city ordinance.
This was revealed during a committee hearing of the SP on November 14 on Draft Ordinance No. 0-722 allowing the temporary closure of Galvan Street up to corner Nueva Street and Zamora Street up to Jovellanos both from corner A.B. Fernandez Avenue on November 16, 2019 to February 10, 2020 in connection with the annual city fiesta.
The committee hearing was presided over by Councilor Karlos Reyna. With him were Councilors Librada Reyna, who was designated hermana mayor of this year’s fiesta, and Teresa Coquia, Cisco Flores, Dennis Canto, and Marvin Fabia.
It was learned that the flea market along Galvan Street and Jovellanos Street was contracted by Barangay 2 and 3 Kagawad Gregorio Yambao and the Food Strip by Mynard Agustin.
Yambao said there are over 100 stalls for the flea market, stalls for selling garden plants in front of the city hall, facing A. B. Fernandez Avenue while half of the parking area of CSI Market Square is occupied by fruit vendors.
The draft ordinance also sought to allow the operation of a “night market” which the author of the ordinance, Councilor Lino Fernandez, said is one of the most effective and viable way of spurring economic activity in the central business district.
But Councilor Librada Reyna clarified: “For the record. as hermana mayor, I am only in charge of the fiesta activities. But for the baratillo and the food strip, hands off na po ako doon.”
Meanwhile, Reyna suggested to Market City Administrator Aguedo Sta. Maria to remove stalls on a sidewalk at the back of the city plaza, because it is a violation of an ordinance prohibiting baratillo stalls in the western part of Jovellano Street.
All the stalls, he said, are temporary in nature and will be allowed until February 10 only per the draft ordinance.
Yambao, who spoke also for Mynard Agustin, contractor of the “Food Strip” on Zamora St. said it should be closed only from 4:00 p.m. daily.
City Legal Officer Terrence Marata said the temporary closure of the streets mentioned will not run counter with the memorandum circular of the Department of the Interior and Local Government since the memo-circular speaks only of illegal structures along roads. (Leonardo Micua)
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
