No vendor displaced in Divisoria mall, Manila LGU says

MANILA, Philippines — The Manila city government will ensure no vendor would be displaced in a market in Divisoria that is currently being made an election issue, Manila Councilor Princess Abante said.

Abante revealed that so far, Festina Holdings – present operator of Divisoria Mall that previously became the subject of sale by the city government – has yet to declare if it wishes to redevelop the mall into a 50-story commercial building as stated in the agreement made by the company and city hall.

“If Festina would want to operate the market, they need to apply for a franchise from the city government. The city government can impose conditions on how to protect the vendors, including that they should not be removed and that rent should not increase,” she said.

The sale of the mall became an issue after Manila mayoral candidate Alex Lopez alleged that its sale lacked transparency.

In response, Abante asserted that the city government under Manila Mayor Isko Moreno saw it was no longer earning from the rent of the facility, prompting it to sell the property to Festina, which submitted the highest bid price of P1.4 billion.

Funds earned from the sale were spent for the city government’s COVID-19 response programs, including the provision of cash aid and food packs for affected families.