Rehabilitation after Yolanda, Codilla opens new public market building

ORMOC CITY, Philippines — Rallying the slogan "Abante Ormoc" for the rehabilitation program of this city after the Yolanda devastation, Mayor Edward Codilla the other day launched a new building for the City Public Market.

The city government, in its rehabilitation phase, had prioritized the public market that Codilla said "needs to be clean, orderly, secure and easy to access."

The mayor explained that, as businesses in Tacloban City and the rest of Leyte still trying to rise, Ormoc must be ready to absorb the influx of consumers from these places and to treat them like brothers and sisters.

The new market building is an additional venue for traders and for sidewalk vendors, who are now settled here and, as a result, cleared the roads and alleys of dangers to the public.

Councilor Vince Rama agreed to this development. "The City Council is supportive of Mayor Codilla's public market program. Passable roads and orderliness are necessary," he said, while suggesting that fruit vendors be given assistance in the procurement of quality products.

Codilla also asked the market occupants for more patience and cooperation, as the city government has been doing its best to improve their lives and businesses in accordance with the law. "There is no success without stress," he told them.

Newly installed OIC market administrator Delia Vilbar, concurrently the assistant city treasurer, credited the success of the public market's rehabilitation process to the support of the mayor, other elected officials and City Administrator Francis Pepito, among others.

"This is a cooperative effort among stakeholders. While we are honored, we must not take it individually; rather as people of goodwill," she added. — (FREEMAN)