Probe to start clearing city streets

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification, Enhancement (PROBE) team will start clearing the city’s roads from street vendors who do not have temporary approval to vend from the city.

PROBE Head Raquel Arce said this is her first job after being reassigned back to her office last week.

They will start clearing Osmeña Boulevard and Colon Street on Monday.

She met with some of the vendors along the area last November 20 and she gave them this week to comply with the requirements to get a temporary approval to sell along the streets.

She said there's a need to regulate the vendors considering that they are supposedly not allowed to vend along the streets but are given a chance by the city for them to earn a living.

 “There are about 50 vendors who do not have temporary approval but are vending along Osmeña Boulevard and Colon Street,” she said.

Arce also said she will call the attention of those vendors who secured a temporary approval from the city but are vending along junction areas and other areas where vendors are prohibited.

She said it is time to clean the city’s streets especially the holiday season is fast approaching.

On November 15, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña assigned Arce, who is a known-ally of the opposition, as head of PROBE because the mayor saw that she is “decisive.”

Arce welcomed the development and vowed to abide by the orders of the mayor. After receiving the memorandum designating her as the head of PROBE, she immediately asked to meet with the city’s street vendors.

After clearing Osmeña Boulevard and Colon Street, Magallanes Street, E-mall area and Sanciangko Street will follow.

“We will do it slowly but surely,” she said.

She will also make sure that those vendors who secured the temporary approval from the city will continuously follow the guidelines.

Arce has served as head of PROBE from November 2011 to June 2016. She was reassigned to guard the Doña Pepang Cemetery in barangay Tejero for five months in 2016 and was later transferred to Department of Social Welfare and Services before was assigned back to PROBE last week. (FREEMAN)