"No ID, No Vending" policy next month

CEBU, Philippines - A “No ID, No Vending” policy will be implemented at the Carbon Market Complex and five other satellite markets in Cebu City starting next month.

Market Administrator Raquel Bohol- Arce said the policy will be implemented to ensure that only legitimate traders are operating in these markets. The new policy is also in line with an earlier instruction of Mayor Michael Rama to rid the markets of ambulant vendors.

Arce said the market task force will inspect the markets daily between 6 am to 2 pm and 2pm to 10 pm. Vendors who do not have identification cards issued by the city may still sell their goods during the “night market” within the nine-hour window from 10pm to 6am.

The ID, issued at P75 each and is renewable yearly.

Arce said the ID will indicate the number of times the vendor has violated the market policies.

“Every violation nila, we will punch holes sa ilang IDs. After three holes, they will be suspended and we will confiscate their commodities,” Arce said.

Vendors may still claim their merchandise after paying a fine of P500.

Grounds for violation include, but not limited to, vending in non-designated areas, exceeding one meter from the gutter towards the middle of the street, vending beyond 6pm for day vendors and 6am for night vendors.

Based on latest records, there are 1,612 vendors operating in 10 satellite markets here that have been issued ID’s. This number does not include those in markets in different barangays that are not registered under the Market Administrator’s Office.

Arce said they started inventory of all markets in Cebu City to prepare for an anticipated amendment into the city’s Market Code, which would reportedly expand the jurisdiction of the market administrator.

Aside from this, the Market Authority will also revisit the city’s policies since there are existing policies that do not address “real problems.”

Earlier, City Administrator Joe Mari Poblete, who heads the Market Authority, said provisions of the Market Code are generic such that the authority resorts to analogous cases when solving problems. (THE FREEMAN)