As Holy Week nears: Cebu City braces for ‘binignit’ crowd at Carbon

CEBU, Philippines —  With the Lenten break just around the corner, Cebu City government will not allow its residents to violate the social distancing measure at the Carbon Public Market for the second time around all for the “binignit” ingredients.

Mayor Edgardo Labella said the city devised a plan to avoid the viral binignit incident from happening again this year at the city’s largest market. This is also to prevent further COVID-19 transmission.

To recall, a post went viral online showing Carbon being flooded with people wanting to buy ingredients for binignit, a popular local delicacy during Holy Week, where the social distancing was violated last April 9, 2020, a Maundy Thursday.

“Kinahanglan ato gyud ihan-ay ang atong pagbaligya sa mga binignit (ingredients). It seems gamay ra kaayo huna-hunaon, binignit, pero it can cause a lot of trouble,” said Labella.

“Usa baya tong binignit sa una. Nag-viral ta ana. Naulaw kita kay it's a highly urbanized city pero ang hinungdan ra gyud diay sa nag-viral nga violation of the social distancing was the binignit, pagpalit og binignit (ingredients),” he said.

The ingredients to the traditional binignit are root crops such as kamote, gabi, ube, saging cardaba or cardava banana, sago, and glutinous rice.

In a meeting with the Market Operations Division and the City Police Office, Labella said it was agreed upon that four days prior to the Holy Week, the selling of the binignit ingredients will already start.

This year’s Holy Week will start on March 28 and will end on April 3.

Barangay clustering will be imposed, said Labella.

Since there are 80 barangays in the city, it will be divided into four and its residents’ visit at Carbon will be scheduled.

Each day, residents of only 20 barangays, based on their schedule, will be allowed to buy at the public market.

“Anang adlawa mao rani nga barangay ang makaadto... It's not mandatory, ang katong barangay na gusto moanha sa carbon, ilang obserbahan ang atong gi-require nga adlaw sa ilang pag-anha,” Labella explained.

He also encouraged residents of barangays having their own public markets, to buy the binignit ingredients there, if available, instead of going to Carbon.

"Pero og sa ilang lugar naa ngadto'y kinudkod na lubi, naa nay gabi, naa nay kamote, naa nay saging, naa nay landang, di na sila kinahanglan moanha diha,” said Labella.

Irvin Caballes, the city’s Market Operations Division (MOD) chief, said they have identified the “hotspots” within the market and they are going to put up railings before the start of the Holy Week.

He said market staff and other city enforcers will man the entrance and exit points to ensure that market-goers and vendors are properly observing the health protocols.

“If di maminaw ang vendors makapila na gi-reprimand, we will recommend for closure,” said Caballes.

Labella said the police already assured that more manpower will be deployed at the area during those days.

Even on a regular basis, there are an average of 50 violators of the health protocols apprehended in the Carbon Market area. — Caecent No-ot Magsumbol with Dicemay Padilla, KQD (FREEMAN)