Baguio market vendors vow to block second demolition

Thursday, 26 August 2010 00:00

http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/news/regions/24508-baguio-market-vendors-vow-to-block-
second-demolition

BAGUIO CITY: Hundreds of market vendors vowed to use the court to thwart the demolition of another area of the
Baguio City Public Market following Sunday’s initial demolition of 700 stalls at the market’s Block 3 section. 
Leaders of the affected tenants have been resisting Uniwide Sales Realty and Resources Corp.’s “development” of
the public market, calling it a “sell-out” and “anti-poor privatization”.

City officials touted Sunday’s demolition as the first giant step toward having a world-class market, insisting that it’s
the right thing to do.

The demolished section, Block 3 and its neighbor Block 4 were considered public annoyances because of their
neglected state and foul smell.
Authorities have also tagged these as havens for thugs and criminals.

But Pablito Gumnad, one of the vendors, said that city officials have a “safe cover” for the imminent privatization of
the public market, adding that the initial demolition will usher in others like it to pave the way for Uniwide to come in.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan of Baguio City said that the P18.5-million contract for the now-demolished block’s
development has already been awarded to the company, along with the go signal to proceed.

The development of Block 3 has reportedly gotten an earlier approval by Uniwide, the private contractor that won the
P1.7-billion contract for the major development of the whole city public market.

The Baguio City-Uniwide contract was earlier contested by Gumnad and other market vendors in court but its legality
was upheld by a regional trial court. The case is now pending with the Court of Appeals.

Critics against the privatization claim that the company shelled some P50-million worth of “grease money” to get the
contract.

Before Sunday’s demolition, market superintendent Policarpio Tamayo ordered vendors to vacate their stalls and
remove all their things—a move which market vendors are claiming to be beyond his powers.

Tamayo, an officer of the recently constituted Market Task Force, said that because of it, he “has invited”
administrative cases against him.

Clearing operations continued until Sunday to pave way for the improvement of the area. On Monday, Uniwide has
laid down its groundwork.
The winning contractor has 220 working days to finish a multi-floor structure.