Town vendors refuse transfer to new market

CEBU, Philippines - Members of the Minglanilla Vendors Multi-Purpose Cooperative have appealed to stop their transfer to the new public market, which is around 500 meters from the existing public market in Poblacion Ward II.

Coop’s Board of Directors chaired by Sherbie de los Reyes submitted their position paper with the appeal to Governor Hilario Davide III, the Provincial Board, first district Rep. Gerard Anthony Gullas and the town officials.

They claimed that only five of over 300 market vendors and allied entrepreneurs of Minglanilla were able to attend the public hearing along with the barangay captains allied with the administration.

Municipal planning officer Sandy Enad reportedly assured that another public hearing would be held but none was actually done.

The cost of the project was P70 million as announced in the said public hearing secured through a loan with the Development Bank of the Philippines, but the vendors were surprised to see the amount to have ballooned to P150 million as posted in the project monitoring board.

They said the new building does not appear to be worth P150M as far as the inquiring public eyes are concerned.

“The absence of effective public hearing and consultation with the vendors ended up with a market structure design that is not fitted to answer the supposed needs of the vendors themselves,” read its position paper.

The stall intended is allegedly very small and can be acquired by an applicant-vendor for P50,000 one-time payment, notwithstanding the monthly rentals, other fees, charges and taxes.

They also alleged that the local officials failed to maintain the existing public market such as its cleanliness and security, the implementation of traffic rules along the national highway, and only assigning a market collector to do the rounds instead of designating a reliable market officer or administrator.

The biggest fear the vendors have is the expansion of existing big commercial establishments to siphon their customers once transferred to the new public market.

“Thus made us worry more that there is indeed a secret deal between the local officials of the municipality of Minglanilla and a big businessman,” they said.  (FREEMAN)