Pardo vendors still not allowed on sidewalks

CEBU, Philippines -  Citing traffic congestion, the Cebu City Market Authority has denied the vendors’ request to allow them to sell their goods on the sidewalks in Barangay Pardo.

Market administrator Raquel Arce said, allowing the vendors to go back on the sidewalks will add up to the traffic problem in the area. The sidewalk vendors of Pardo requested that they be allowed to return to their previous vending area because their present location on the second floor of the Pardo Public Market has affected their income.

They claimed that nobody goes up anymore to buy from them.

Some of the PUJ drivers passing along the area said it is really not advisable to allow the sidewalk vendors to go down. According to the drivers, the vendors are really contributory to the traffic congestion in the area.

“Dili na g’yud maayo nga pabalikon sila pagpaninda diha sa kilid sa karsada kay nalipay na man gani mi nga gibalhin na sila diha g’yud sulod sa merkado,” PUJ driver Ruel Castillo said.

Serapio Tumongha, driver of a Naga City-bound PUJ, supported Castillo saying that the sidewalk vendors are giving them headache because they are crowding the road.

Barangay Pardo Captain Fermin Dasmariñas said he will not object if the vendors will be allowed to sell their products along the road.

The sidewalk vendors who used to sell their goods along the road were relocated to the second floor of the Pardo Public Market building after it was vacated by the Pardo Elementary School.

The second and third floors of the market were occupied by the school until the construction of its new school building. (FREEMAN)