The Pasay City government announced Monday that illegal sidewalk vendors in Baclaran will soon be legalized to protect them from becoming milking cows of unscrupulous barangay, police and local government officials.

Mayor Antonino Calixto made the announcement during a dialogue between local officials and leaders of the Baclaran vendors plying their trade at the boundary of Pasay City and Parañaque City.

Calixto said vendors whose stalls are located near the Light Rail Transit (LRT) stations will be legalized three times a week -- or every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

He said these days were chosen by the vendors themselves since these are the days when they said they draw the most number of people seeking to buy inexpensive goods.The city chief executive said they will create a committee that will conduct a study on legalizing vending and turning a portion of the city into a flea market.

Calixto said putting up a flea market on certain days would also mean additional funds for the city coffers. Instead of the vendors giving protection money to unscrupulous police, barangay and local officials, they will now have to pay taxes to the local government, he said.

During the dialogue, he said the vendors complained that they were hit hard after the city government barred them from doing business at the LRT Taft station.