Carbon market development: No displacement of vendors – Megawide

CEBU, Philippines — The Megawide Construction Corporation has assured that no vendors will be displaced once the redevelopment of the Carbon Public Market in Cebu City officially starts.

Louie Ferrer, chief corporate affairs and branding officer of the Megawide Construction Corp., made the promise to the city government before the signing of the Joint Venture Agreement (JVA).

As long as these vendors are included in the Market Operations Division list as of December 31, 2020, Ferrer said, their contracts will be renewed.

While the Carbon Public Market is being redeveloped, vendors will be transferred in a temporary facility to be placed at Unit 2.

This means that no displacement will occur, operations will continue, there will be no disruption of selling, and Carbon will not be closed.

Ferrer also denied claims that the Carbon Public Market will be “privatized.”

He said the local government unit will still be the one to operate the market, while Megawide will assist the city in the operations and maintenance of the facility.

“Ang privatization that’s false information because at the end of the day, ang tag-iya gyud ini kay ang gobyerno. Kami motabang lang sa pag operate,” said Ferrer.

“The LGU (will manage). We will develop. We will rehabilitate the structures and maintain the structure. But, the management will still be LGU. We will assist LGU in maintaining the whole facilities,” he said.

Ferrer said the firm has a say on the decisions within the Carbon market, “but we’re not saying 100 percent.”

Megawide’s consultation with the vendors with regard to the project went for two years.

They asked on how the stalls should be designed, and what aspects need improvement, among others.

“Unta huna-hunaon sa tanan na dili ni about us lang. Dili ni about vendors lang, dili ni about karumatero or about Megawide or even government. This is total Cebu,” said Ferrer.

Transforming the 112-year-old market into a world-class people’s trading ground by 2025 does not mean higher rental rates for thousands of vendors, assured Megawide Construction Corporation.

“Nothing to fear. Nothing to worry about,” said Megawide assistant vice president for Corporate Affairs Jason Torres in a project presentation held Wednesday.

He made the assurance amid fears that the carbon market’s modernization program will result in higher rental rates for vendors, thus making goods more expensive.

The construction and engineering firm Megawide, which is also part of the Mactan International Airport’s management company, GMCAC, was awarded by the Cebu City government to re-develop the historic farmers and fishermen’s post into a first-world public market, through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) deal.

The P5.5 billion project will break ground this coming March, to signify the five-year renovation of Carbon market, said Torres. — KQD (FREEMAN)