Exec eyes PNoy, Senate aid for new market construction

CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City Councilor Valeriano Ylanan is not giving up on convincing his colleagues in the council, especially the majority bloc, to push through with the construction of the controversial Tabunok public market.

Ylanan, one of the allies of Mayor Johnny De los Reyes in the council, yesterday stood up before the members of the council before the session adjourned telling the nine members there is still hope for the construction of a new market even without resorting to loan a big amount of money from the bank.

Last year, the majority council turned down the proposal of granting De los Reyes authority to enter into a loan for the construction of a new market in Barangay Tabunok in the amount of P350 million from the Land Bank of the Philippines.

"Naa ko'y good news ninyong tanan nga pwede matukod nato ang merkado, if maka-utang ta gamay ra, dili parehas niadto. Makakuha ta og kwarta if we will pass a resolution authorizing the mayor to solicit funds," Ylanan said.

According to Ylanan, if the council will authorize Delos Reyes, the mayor can solicit funds from the Office of the President and from the senators.

It was in August 2011 when, despite protests from vendors, the city government, through the leadership of then mayor Socrates Fernandez, closed the decades-old Tabunok market as according to them, it was no longer fit for occupancy.

More than 900 vendors were moved to the Lagtang market, a structure that features  higher columns, bigger and airy stalls and better drainage, and which cost the city more than P100 million to build.

"We would like to work as one," Yanan said, as he admitted that the issue of the market has been divisive, referring to the word of war between De los Reyes and Vice Mayor Romeo Villarante, a former ally of De los Reyes in the last 2013 elections.

The proposal of Ylanan, however, was deferred into the next session after Fernandez suggested the minority councilor to formalize his proposal in order to discuss in the regular session next week. — (FREEMAN)