City to demolish stalls to widen road

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama ordered Market Administrator Raquel Arce to demolish some stalls to revive the four-way lanes along M.C. Briones St. from corner D. Jakosalem St. near the City Hall up to F. Escaño St. near the Visayan Electric Company (Veco).

Arce said Rama instructed her to do this before the month ends and that she will try to complete her task by March 15.

She called a meeting with the affected vendors yesterday afternoon to inform them of the mayor’s instruction. She told them she could do nothing but comply with the order.

In a separate interview, Rama explained that he wants to revive the four-way lane along M.C. Briones to bring back the smooth flow of traffic so people would be encouraged to patronize Carbon market.

Rama believes that many are being discouraged from going to Carbon market because of the traffic congestion and because of fear of criminal elements like snatchers and pickpockets.

 Arce, however, explained that only 15 vendors will lose their right to occupy stalls.

M.C. Briones St. used to be a wide road but the City used a huge portion of it as vending area. The City built temporary stalls for vendors who occupied the Carbon Market Unit II that was burned sometime in 1998.

According to Arce, many vendors are occupying more than one stall because they assumed the stalls of other vendors who stopped their businesses.

She added that those who are occupying the side of the narrow road will be asked to move out so the space could be used by vehicles.

“Tiaw mo kon mabalik na nga four-way lanes na ang M.C. Briones sayon na lang sa atong mga polis sa Carbon police station ang pag-responde kun dunay alarma dili sama karon nga motuyok pa sila og layo,” the mayor explained. (With wider roads, the police will no longer have difficulty responding to alarms.)

Pushcarts also cause traffic congestion within the vicinity of Carbon market. (FREEMAN)