No more ‘hepa lane’ in U-Belt

MANILA, Philippines — The city government of Manila will no longer allow vendors to sell street food along the University Belt’s “hepa lane,” Mayor Joseph Estrada said yesterday.

Describing the popular food hub along R. Papa street, which was shut down recently, as an “accident waiting to happen,” Estrada said he cannot wait for an epidemic to break out before doing something.

“We have nothing against them having business. But in the interest of public health, we won’t allow them to return until after they have secured the necessary permits,” he said, adding that he received reports that some students got sick after eating at the food hub.

Estrada warned barangay officials that charges will be filed against them if they allow the vendors to return without having complied with the sanitation code.

Estrada has ordered the city’s department of public services to monitor the area and the Manila Police District to deploy additional policemen to discourage the vendors from coming back.