It’s that time of the year again. But by “that time of the year” we don’t mean Christmas, we mean the Colon night market.
But this year the Colon night market won’t just be during Christmas. It will be from December 14, 2024, to February 15, 2025, starting 6 P.M. to 2 A.M.
Portions of the downtown, including parts of Leon Kilat Street, Pelaez Street, Colon Street, and Junquera Street will be closed for the event.
According to a story in this newspaper, the specific routes affected by the road closure are from the corner of Leon Kilat Street to the corner of Osmeña Boulevard, Colon Street from the corner of Osmeña Boulevard to the corner of Pelaez Street, and Pelaez Street from the corner of Sanciangko Street to the corner of Colon Street.
Again we raise question: is the Colon night market really necessary?
Even after all these years our points of contention remain the same. First, it occupies streets that are crucial for smooth traffic flow. Even without the night market the traffic in these streets is already heavy during rush hour, what more when they are partially or totally closed from 6 P.M. onwards?
Second, the night market offers nothing new. In fact, they offer the same stuff and food that markets all over Cebu City sell. With the exception of maybe one or two stalls, what food and items you will find in the night market is the same you will find almost anywhere in the city.
Is Cebu City so strapped for cash that it needs to hold a night market to earn from rent paid by vendors and merchants?
While it isn’t wrong to promote one’s own place to drum up tourism, hold activities that contribute to the city’s coffers, and give people a good time this Christmas season, the price to be paid for the Colon night market --the heavier-than-usual traffic and grumbling commuters-- seems too high a price to pay.