Sto. Niño vendors face demolition of structures

The stalls of Sto. Niño vendors along D. Jakosalem Street may soon be demolished.

Vicente Mercado, head of the Squatters Prevention and Encroachment Elimination Division, yesterday said he is planning to meet with Sto. Niño vendors tomorrow to discuss the illegal expansion of stalls, and to give them an ultimatum.

This is in relation to the accusation that despite the alleged violations committed by some of these vendors who expanded their stalls beyond the gutter on D. Jakosalem Street, the City Hall demolition team reportedly has failed to address the matter.

Urban poor consultant Gerry Marquez, who was tasked by Mayor Tomas Osmeña to supervise the members of the demolition team, said he is not satisfied with Mercado's performance in relation to the cleaning up of city streets of illegal vendors and structures particularly along D. Jakosalem Street.

After The FREEMAN brought up to Mercado the complaints of some motorists who frequently pass by D. Jakosalem Street, the demolition team conducted an operation there, but still failed to rid the area of illegal structures.

When the vendors went to City Hall in 2002 and asked Osmeña to allow them to sell their wares in the said place, the vendors promised to comply with all of the requirements of the mayor.

Among the requirements was that they would not place their wares beyond the gutter of the street and they would not install additional tents that might obstruct the flow of traffic. These vendors, however, noticeably failed to comply with these requirements.

It was also learned that some of the vendors who were allowed to use the stalls that were constructed by Young Builders Corporation just had these padlocked. These vendors reportedly sell their wares at the corner of D. Jakosalem and Osmeña Boulevard, near the back gate of the basilica.

"Maayo ra og himoan na sila og operation," said some of the vendors who belong to another vendors' group.

Osmeña allowed the Sto. Niño vendors to occupy the concrete stalls for free for a period of three years. The three-year period had already lapsed, but nothing has been done to address the concern.