Road rehab to displace 368 Carbon vendors

CEBU, Philippines — At least 368 vendors at the Carbon Public Market are threatened to be displaced due to the ongoing road rehabilitation project in the area.

The Department of Public Works and Highways in Central Visayas (DPWH-7) wants the vendors to vacate their stalls at the back of Unit 2 Carbon Market so the project will be done full-blown.

DPWH asked the city government to assist the affected vendors, who were convened in a consultative meeting at the City Hall yesterday.

Cebu City Market Authority (CCMA) chair Annabeth Cuizon said the city will provide them a temporary area where they can continue their businesses.

“Kay naputol man gud ang trabaho sa DPWH, ni-exceed na sila sa ilang timetable. So kinahanglan na ma-transfer as soon as possible para mapadayon ang trabaho sa DPWH dirang dapita,” she said.

The road rehab is expected to last for two months.

Starting next week, the vendors will transfer to the new sites near the new Carbon Public Market and along F. Calderon Street in Barangay Ermita.

After the road repair, the CCMA will determine the stall owners and ambulant vendors.

Vendors paying monthly rentals to the city government will be provided with a permanent marketplace. Ambulant vendors, on the other hand, may also lease space or stall. 

CCMA is eyeing the parking area in Sitio Warwick Barracks in Barangay Ermita as the relocation site.

“Ang Warwick unta to but gihimo mana sa city nga parking area. It is possible, however, mas maka-earn ang city sa Warwick around P400,000 a month kung sa the parking lang. That’s why mangayo tag approval (from the mayor),’’ Cuizon said.

“Human sa temporary relocation, ato na ni i-discuss and pagbahin-bahin sa lugar sa Warwick ngadto sa mga qualified nga maka-benefits,’’ she added.

Cuizon clarified though that the vendors with lease of contract and permits from the city are still allowed to return to their original place.

Regina Hista and other affected vendors are willing to vacate their stalls.

“Ok raman basta mahan-ay lang tanan kay nagbayad sad baya mi sa among mga pwesto. Maka-expect gyud tag kausaban sa atong pagpaninda kung mabalhin nata,” Hista said.

The city’s Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) promised to assist the vendors.

“Kami lang bahala sa technical, ang pagsukod kung pila ka meters ang trapal or kahoy, but sila na ang mopanday ug mopalit sa ilang mga gamit sa pagtukod sa ilang mga tindahan,” said DWUP operations head Genevieve Alcoseba. — Carl James T. Cabarles, USJ-R intern, KBQ (FREEMAN)