At least 100 bid for market stalls

More than 100 small traders have qualified in the pre-qualification bidding of 180 stalls in the city's nine satellite markets.

The pre-bidding qualification ended last June 22 while the formal bidding will start on the first week of July with the city government expected to earn at least P2.5 million. Last February, at least 406 stalls at the city's nine markets were ordered closed after the owners failed to pay the rent. Of the 406 stalls, 180 were due for bidding.

The city's satellite markets are the Tabo-an Market, Carbon Market Unit I, Carbon Market Unit II, Carbon Market Unit III, T. Padilla Market, Freedom Park, Pasil, Warwick Barracks and the Pardo Market.

The Cebu City Market Authority admitted it was having a "headache" over the unpaid rentals from occupants at the Warwick Barracks for the past 15 years.

Market administrator Elpidio "Jojo" dela Victoria said that of the 283 stall vendors at Warwick Barracks, only 72 have actually paid their dues amounting to P207,481.097. The city's collectible amount from the market alone is P8,875,840.36.

Dela Victoria said that majority of the stallholders at the Warwicks Barracks have unpaid rentals since they thought that the lot is owned by the national government, but the issue was resolved in 2003.

He said these market stalls were mostly used not for vending but were turned into a residential area. And what makes things worse is that the original occupants of the stalls can no longer be traced, which made it difficult to collect the unpaid rentals.

Dela Victoria said that as of now, they are conducting an inventory at the market, where illegal occupants will be eventually advised to vacate.

Last week, about 183 stallholders at Carbon Market Unit II were told vacate for their failure to pay their rental obligations and business taxes.

Carbon Market Unit II has a total of 479 stalls, of which 296 were being paid of their rentals and business taxes amounting to more than P3.3 million.