Aid pushed for vendors affected by road project

CEBU, Philippines – At least 24 stall owners at the Mandaue City Public Market who will be displaced by a road project may  receive the P10,000 financial assistance from the city government.

The Mandaue City Council last week had already approved on first reading a measure granting P10,000 in financial assistance to the vendors who will be displaced once the city starts to pave the way for the proposed access road leading to the Ouano Wharf and a new bridge project to F.F. Cruz Street.

“All legitimate stallholders of the New Mandaue City Public Market, who will be displaced by the opening of the proposed access road leading to the Ouano Wharf and the construction of the New Bridge heading to F.F. Cruz shall avail of the above-mentioned financial assistance,” read a portion of the proposed ordinance authored by City Councilor Jimmy Lumapas, chairman on Council Committee on Market and Abattoir.

Under the proposal, however, only those stallholders who are “without delinquency and shall have no pending liabilities” with the city shall receive the aid.

The construction of the access road has already been started, and Lumapas, in an interview with the media, said the displaced vendors will be relocated to another place.

He said these vendors are those allowed to stay along the street after the public market building at the back of the Mandaue City Sports Complex was condemned after it sustained major damage following the October 2013 earthquake.

He said they will have to find another location for these vendors while the new market building at the City Centro will be constructed. Construction for the P400 million new public market is expected to start this year.

“Pangitaan gyud na nato sila og lugar diin sila puwede makapaninda while waiting for the new market to be finished,” Lumapas said.

The proposed ordinance was referred to the Committee on Laws for review. (FREEMAN)