For renovation's sake: Unit 1 vendors move to Unit 3

The Cebu City Market Authority yesterday decided to relocate some 476 vendors of the Carbon Market to the second floor of Unit III in connection with the renovation of Unit I. The city council is also expected to come up today with a resolution that would declare Unit I as under the state of calamity to hasten the evacuation and renovation of the area. City market administrator Elpidio dela Victoria said vendors would have to wait for 60 days or until the renovation of Unit I is done.

If the vendors will continue to defy the closure order of Mayor Tomas Osmeña, his office would be forced to apply police power through council resolution, he said. The closure is seen to hasten renovation of the area that would be utilized by the vendors again soon. "We just decided now that from Unit I, they would be relocated to Unit III. Take it or leave it," this he told The FREEMAN. He said that they already prepared the second floor of Unit III to be occupied by the affected vendors.

Dela Victoria also said that they are not only warning vendors, but also the consumers on the risk of occupying and or moving around inside a dilapidated building. Meanwhile, Cebu Market Vendors Development Cooperative president Erwin Gok-ong said that they are not against vacating Unit I, but that the city government should consider the viability of the place where they would be relocated.

Gok-ong cited that among the reasons why they would not transfer to Unit III is because of the small space that could not accommodate all 476 affected vendors. Unit I has an area of 5,000 square meters, while the second floor of Unit III is only about 3,000 square meters, he added.