Organizers assure safe carnival rides

CEBU, Philippines - “Kasadya sa South Road Properties” organizers have assured that carnival rides, which is one of the main features of the month-long event, would be safe for everybody.

Organizers of the event said they know that safety is one of the concerns especially with various incidents concerning carnival rides.

City Market Administrator Raquel Arce, who is in charge of the preparation of the event, assured that everything would be double-checked before they open the carnival for operation.

Arce said they included the carnival in the “Kasadya sa SRP” because they wanted to add more “fun to the festivities”, likening the activities to Manila’s carnivals where major rides are offered.

She added that the carnival rides during the “Kasadya sa SRP” would not be as grand as the ones in Manila, but would offer the same fun and most importantly, the safety of the riders.

About four hectares in the SRP will be used for the said activities and is allotted for the carnival rides. The other areas are divided for the “market-market” which would give entrepreneurs the chance to sell dry goods, another area for food vendors, and another portion would be for the firecrackers section.

Arce said that if more participants like vendors would still want to join, they can still extend the area for the activities. One hectare is also reserved as parking space.

Atty. Dominic Diño, assistant city administrator for economic enterprise, explained that “Kasadya sa SRP” was conceptualized before to give way for firecracker traders and transfer them to a designated area where they would be allowed to sell their products.

Recently, the City Council approved the ordinance regulating the sale, distribution and use of firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices which was proposed a year ago and entitles the city to confiscate fireworks and other pyrotechnic devices sold outside malls and the South Road Properties (SRP).

Diño said that after the SRP was allocated as the area where firework vendors can sell their products, they decided to add other activities for entertainment.

During this year’s month-long activity which will kick off on December 12, nightly activities are in store for the visitors. Free bus rides would also be available in two different areas, one at the Cebu City hall going to SRP and the other one from Talisay City going to SRP and vice versa.

Meanwhile, Arce said that they are still open for entrepreneurs who would want to participate in the said event.

There would be a registration fee of P2,500 for those interested in selling food products or dry goods in the “Market-market” area. Additional P20 per day would be for the mayor’s permit and P30 per day for the business tax.

Arce explained that the purpose of the Kasadya sa SRP is not for them to gain but to give opportunities for aspiring small and medium entrepreneurs. She added that they will also cater to big businesses like coffee shops who would want to set up a booth in the area.  (FREEMAN)