Taytay expands ‘discipline zone’

Taytay Rizal Mayor Joric Gacula is considering expanding its “discipline zone” not just within the vicinity of the tiangge (bazaar) center, the town’s tourism district, but all over the town.

The local government has tightened security measures to ensure peace and order and to maintain cleanliness at the tiangge area located at Club Manila East compound in Barangay San Juan, as they expect an influx of shoppers and tourists this Christmas season.

The local government also implemented a “discipline zone” at Tikling in Barangay Dolores wherein they removed sidewalk vendors and illegal terminals.

“We’re trying to expand our ‘discipline zone.’ So, the first place we will designate as discipline zone is the tiangge. Next will be the market,” Gacula said in an interview.

“What is important is there is continuity.

This cannot be a ningas-cogon effort. Slowly but surely, we’re going to put discipline zones all over Taytay, until the whole of Taytay becomes a discipline municipality,” the mayor added.

The local government’s general services office, public safety office, traffic management group, local police, private security and force multipliers are working together to ensure safety and order and to maintain cleanliness in areas designated as “discipline zone.”

Though the tiangge is a private property, the local government is still helping them because they see it as an industry of the municipality, Gacula said.

The local government also implemented a “no smoking zone” at the said area.

Known as the garment capital of the country, the town’s tiangge started only in 2008 with a group of 45 dressmakers but the industry grew fast in the succeeding years.