BAGUIO CITY – Some members of the local City Council underscored the importance of putting up satellite markets in strategic areas in the city to serve the residents in the barangays near the said facilities and prevent the convergence of people in the city’s public market, especially during the implementation of quarantines and lockdowns.
Vice Mayor Faustino A. Olowan stated there was a previous ordinance mandating the put up of satellite markets in strategic areas in the city to be identified upon consultations with the concerned barangays, thus, the need for the city government to fund the realization of the project.
He pointed out that part of the overall plans of the city government is to put up satellite markets in strategic areas in the city using a uniform design to serve as an added tourist attraction in the city.
The vice mayor claimed the uniform design of satellite markets in the city will be piloted in the construction of the proposed Gibraltar satellite market earmarked by the city government with some P40 million for its implementation.
Last week, the City Council approved some P704.1 million as the city’s supplemental budget for this year of which P35 million will be for the construction of several satellite markets in strategic areas in the city.
Among the areas in the city where the satellite markets will be erected include San Vicente, Camp 7, Dominican-Mirador, Bayan Park Village, Middle Quezon Hill and Irisan.
On her part, councilor Maria Victoria Mylen G. Yaranon, chairperson of the Committee on Public works, said that the prevailing ECQ opened the floodgates of the need to pursue the put up of satellite markets in strategic areas in the city to help in reducing the convergence of people in the city’s public market and bringing closer to the residents the goods and services that they need, especially during difficult situations.
She cited that the presence of satellite markets will help in significantly reducing the presence of people in the central business district area and will guarantee the adherence of the residents to the policy on social distancing which is already part of the new normal once the prevailing ECQ will be lifted.
According to her, the construction of the satellite markets in the city’s barangays is part of the future development plans of the city government to lessen the visit of residents in the central business district area and provide better opportunities for enterprising individuals to earn income by selling in stalls that will be subjected to public bidding.
Yaranon stated that the city government needs to extend assistance in the regulation of the prevailing prices of basic commodities in such markets so that the same will be competitive with the prices of goods in the city’s public market.
Both legislators assured that the City Council will make sure there will be more satellite markets to be constructed in the different parts of the city once funds will be made available for such purpose.
By Dexter A. See