Mayor Greg Gasataya formally issued special permits to 42 ambulant vendors operating along North Capitol Road (Lagoon) in Bacolod City, recognizing their livelihood while the city intensifies road-clearing measures on major streets.
For vendors like 37-year-old Ronela Lagahit, the permit marks the end of decades of uncertainty while selling fresh fruit juice coolers along Aguinaldo Street near North Capitol Road.
“In my more than 20 years as an ambulant vendor in that area with my mother, this is the first time we were given a special permit to officially sell. We finally have the assurance that our livelihood is legal,” Lagahit said.
The permits, processed through the Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) with assistance from the City Administrator’s Office, were personally distributed by the mayor during a dialog at the City Mayor’s Office, a press release from the Bacolod City Communications Office said Monday, May 25.
Gasataya also approved weekly flushing operations to ensure cleanliness in the area, as well as coordination with the Bacolod Traffic and Transport Management Department (BTTMD) to address parking issues that frequently block vendors’ carts. He also promised the installation of temporary solar lights to illuminate darker portions of the road.
“We understand that you are simply trying to make ends meet and that this is your way of earning an income. The city is here to encourage and support your business while strictly implementing the existing ordinance regarding ambulant vendors,” the mayor said.
Gasataya emphasized that the administration’s goal is regulation, not relocation.
“We do not want to relocate you because we already have an existing ordinance that allows you to sell. This regulation is beneficial because whenever there is a specific assistance for vendors or program, it will be easier to profile and assist you since you are now legally registered with the city,” he added.
City Administrator Mark Steven Mayo stressed the need to clear non-designated vending zones such as Aguinaldo Street to ensure smooth traffic flow.
The enforcement is part of City Ordinance No. 1009, which seeks to regulate street vending while balancing the interests of small business owners and the commuting public, the press release said.
Under the guidelines of the special permits, vendors are only allowed to operate from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. to avoid traffic obstruction during rush hours, it said.
Vendors are also required to maintain a strictly “grab-and-go” setup using only carts. The use of chairs, tables, or permanent structures is prohibited.*
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