The Public Order and Safety Division reported a significant decline in the number of illegal peddling cases from 2022 to 2023 owing to the sustained anti-illegal vending policy of the city government.
POSD Chief Daryll Kim Longid said their records show that the number of illegal peddling cases in 2023 was pegged at 4,270 which is 69.9 percent decrease from 2023 where the recorded apprehensions totaled 14,206.
He attributed the decline to the efforts of the enforcers who were consistently implementing anti-peddling activities. Aside from their regular operations, the teams have included in their discussions with the vendors which helped discourage from of them from pushing through with their illegal activities.
The anti-peddling mandate by virtue of Ordinance 1 s. 2000 prohibits ambulant vending in areas frequented by vendors and buyers and in designated passageways or alleys.
Despite the regulations, many vendors keep to the illegal practice resorting to cat-and-mouse routine with the enforcers and some even engage in confrontations to prevent their goods from being confiscated, mirroring incidents like the widely circulated online video involving a peanut seller and a POSD officer.
To address the issue, Longid said the office now employs peaceful means to minimize confrontations in their operations often conducted in areas where illegal vending was rampant such as at the central business district, Baguio Public Market, and tourist destinations like Mines View, Burnham Park, Botanical Garden, and Wright Park.
Longid acknowledged that being an economic center, the city will continue to be faced with the illegal peddling challenge but he said the law must be respected and they are committed to prioritizing legal vendors and maintaining an organized CBD.
The penalties for violating the Anti-Peddling Law range from P1,000 to P5,000, coupled with imprisonment ranging from 30 days to six months. However, he proposed a P1,000 fine, considering the perceived severity of the penalty.
Confiscated goods that remain unclaimed are distributed to support the city’s charitable institutions, with consumable items primarily allocated to centers managed by the City Social Welfare and Development Office and Department of Social Welfare and Development, such as Silungan Center, Regional Haven for Women and Girls, Bahay Pag-Asa, and Reception and Study Center for Children. – Iris Shantel Gutierrez and Aileen Refuerzo
