Talisay gives free tricycle rides

CEBU, Philippines - As part of its thrust to promote the new public market in Barangay Lagtang, the Talisay City government is offering free rides from Barangay Tabunok to Lagtang.

Vice Mayor Alan Bucao said the program, which has been initiated by the office of City Administrator Richel Bacaltos, is intended “to introduce to the market-goers who have not been to Lagtang Public Market to see the place personally.”

“This is to disprove reports nga kuyaw ang Lagtang Market, nga hugaw,” Bucao said, explaining that there have been rumors that the new market is dirty and dangerous because of its location.

Bucao said the free rides is for the people to personally see for themselves that the rumors are not true.

The free rides, which started with 10 tricycle units, was launched last Saturday and will continue for a month.

Aside from erasing rumors of an unsanitary and unsafe market, Bucao said another purpose of the free rides is to actually bring customers to the new market. Since the Lagtang Public Market was opened in August last year, vendors have been claiming of low sales and one factor that has reportedly held customers away is the presence of the Nacario Trade Center, a private market located right across the now closed Tabunok Public Market.

December last year, Mayor Socrates Fernandez issued a cease and desist order against the private market, but Bucao said a pending case before the court with regard to the said order has prevented the city from implementing the directive.

Bucao hopes that residents of Talisay would eventually prefer to buy their goods at the new public market. - /JMO (FREEMAN)