Street vendors without GASA IDs face eviction

CEBU, Philippines - Starting next month, sidewalk vendors with no identification cards issued by the Garbo Asenso Sumbanan Alyansa (GASA) will be evicted from where they occupy.

The Squatters Prevention and Encroachment Elimination Division will be confiscating the merchandise of vendors who are not legitimate members of GASA, the group created to regulate sidewalk vending and to ensure orderliness in the city’s sidewalks.

The policy will start on September 5 yet but the GASA office has started distributing flyers and posting notices in designated posting areas in the downtown.

There are a little over 1,500 legitimate vendors in Cebu City who are allowed to sell their goods in the city streets.

As per the records of GASA there are 180 legitimate vendors along Colon St., 192 vendors along Manalili St., 115 vendors along Osmeña Blvd., 93 vendors along Jakosalem St., 141 vendors along Borromeo St., 109 vendors along Leon Kilat St., 118 vendors along P. Lopez St., 258 vendors along Sanciangko St., 58 along F. Gonzales St., 69 along Plaridel St., 27 vendors along Legaspi St., 94 along Magallanes St. and 60 along Pelaez St.

GASA has already distributed color-coded IDs which will prohibit vendors from vending in another street. For instance, Red IDs are for vendors in Osmeña Blvd., blue IDs are for Colon vendors, yellow IDS are for Magallanes St. vendors, to name a few.

The IDs had to be issued to prevent the proliferation of vendors in the streets and eventually eliminate them when the government has already created a program that will elevate their status.

GASA also issues the following policies —strictly one side vending; maximum stall size should be two feet wide, three feet long and four feet high; the vending area should be maintained clean and pleasant; there must be proper waste disposal; and only one stall is allowed per family.

The GASA office made sure that there are no duplications of registration in one family.

GASA was created through Executive Order No. 10-131 of Mayor Michael Rama.- (THE FREEMAN)