CEBU, Philippines - There's no stopping the Talisay City government from closing the Tabunok Public Market on Monday, said Talisay City Councilor Rodi Cabigas.
"In place naman tanan, so hopefully by Monday adto na tang tanan mangumpra sa new market sa Lagtang," Cabigas, in an interview, said.
Cabigas, who is chairperson on council committee on Infrastructure, said that even the results of the inspection conducted last week by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Public Works and Highways, which are expected to be submitted this week, will not spoil the city's plan to move out all vendors from the old market.
The legislator said he believes that if these two agencies will find something from that ocular inspection, it will only be "for compliance purposes," considering that the city has already complied with its earlier recommendations.
The DENR and the DPWH visited anew the Lagtang public market to check if the building and its annexes are built within the treacherous Mananga River as vendors have alleged.
Both agencies have asked to be given five working days to submit their reports.
However, Daisy Toledo of the DPWH, during that visit, told the media that the agencies are powerless to stop the transfer even if the results of their inspection would corroborate the fears of the vendors that the market structure would sink anytime because of its location.
Toledo, whose office approved the construction of the gideon walls, said that this structure was built to withstand the harshness of the river below.
Cabigas, on the other hand, said stallholders have started cleaning their stalls at the new market in preparation for their transfer Monday.
The city has extended another day from the supposed Sunday schedule to give time for the vendors to fully prepare for the transfer.
By Monday, however, Cabigas said the city will close the Tabunok Public Market for good.
And since the transfer will really take place, Arturo Bas, city's public information officer, has urged the buying public to start shopping at the Lagtang market on Monday. — THE FREEMAN