300 street food vendors trained to handle food

Cebu City United Vendors Association President Maria Buanghug assured the city government that around 300 "pungko-pungko" (street food) vendors underwent training and seminar on proper food handling given by the city health department.

Buanghug yesterday said all their members selling food are mandated to attend training and seminar on proper food handling by the city health department, otherwise their association will bar non-complying members from selling.

In addition, not only are the food vendors obliged to take part in the said training-seminar but the food suppliers of the street food vendors as well.

Buanghug said only a few of their street food vendors cook the food they sell but just the same both the food vendors and suppliers are mandated to attend the training on proper food handling.

She explained their association closely coordinates with the city health department, which conducts a seminar on proper food handling annually.

Buanghug said there are approximately 300 street food vendors in the city belonging to their group, most of them situated beside the University of the Visayas along D. Jakosalem Street, along Gotianuy Street near the Redemptorist Church, and along the stretch of Llorente Street and Juana Osmeña Streets.

In its regular session last Wednesday afternoon, the council tasked councilor Procopio Fernandez to coordinate with sanitary inspectors of the city health department in order to check informal food outlets, especially the street food vendors, to ensure that the food they are selling is safe and clean.

Fernandez was also tasked to work closely with concerned barangay officials to be able to pass appropriate ordinances for such purpose.

Although the city council does not intend to legalize sidewalk vending, Vice Mayor Michael Rama said it is not appropriate this time of the year to prohibit informal food vendors from engaging in such livelihood in view of the country's dwindling economy.

Nevertheless, he said the concerned government agencies have to guide them on how to make these informal vendors adopt certain procedures based on what are being provided in the existing laws. - Cristina C. Birondo/BRP