Street vendors open to being regulated

CEBU, Philippines — A group of vendors in Cebu City has asked the administration of Mayor Edgardo Labella to institutionalize but regulate street vending.

Maria Pino, president of the Cebu City United Vendors Association Inc. (CCUVA), said her group is amenable to being regulated by the city as long as they will be allowed to sell their wares on designated streets or areas.

“Pareha sa nakita namo sa Manila nga naa pay mahabilin sa daplin, pareha karon kami naa ra man mi sa gutter, in ana lang sad (Just like what’s being done in Manila where some vendors can still sell on the sidewalks. Just like us, we only sell on the gutters),” Pino said.

She stressed that they welcome changes in regulations, but not to the extent that they will be cleared.

“Og naay mga changes o kausaban, hopefully, ang among panghinaot (should there be changes, we hope) we are part of it sa discussion, presentation, representation plus planning,” she added.

Pino, along with other officers of CCUVA, met with Labella in a closed-door meeting yesterday afternoon to air their proposal. The FREEMAN tried to get an update on the meeting but Pino has not responded to the calls as this article was written last night.

According to her, they were “not treated well” under the previous administration as ambulant vendors then had always been subjected to clearing and dispersal.

CCUVA has a membership of up to 3,000 vendors, majority of whom are selling their wares at the Carbon Public Market while the rest in downtown and uptown Cebu City.

So far, the night market has been identified as a designated site for street vendors, although it has been ordered temporarily stopped by the new administration pending new guidelines from the City Hall.

Pino said about 500 members have expressed their intention to sell in the night market but not all may be accommodated because of the huge number.

Thus, she said they will also ask Labella to identify other possible street vending zones in the city.

Believing there is strength in numbers, Pino also said they are in the process of recruiting more members in the hope of convincing the mayor. — Jebert A. Sarsonas (FREEMAN)