Carbon market unit ii: Vendors call on officials to fast track reconstruction

CEBU, Philippines – Despite the pending case Cebu City Hall officials are facing over the reconstruction of the Carbon Market Unit II, vendors hope that the renovation of the building would be completed in time for the 10th year celebration of the “Carbon Pasko Na” next month.

“Hangyo lang namong tanan nga naa sa Carbon nga ayaw na lang apila ang Carbon kay ang Carbon para sa tanang katawhan. I-apil pa gani niya sa pamulitika sayang kaayo kay tingali hinuon og mahiubos pa nuon ang mga katawhan ngadto niya,” said Ermita Barangay councilwoman Maria Pino-Buanghog, who is also the chairwoman of Cebu City United Vendors Association.

The building, which was gutted by a fire on January 1998, is the subject of a criminal case filed by former congressman Tomas Osmeña against Cebu City Hall officials, including incumbent Mayor Michael Rama.

Osmeña, who is seeking the mayoral seat in the 2016 polls, filed criminal charges against Rama and 19 other officials and employees of the City Hall for violation of the anti-graft law and Government Procurement Act before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.

He alleged that the respondents connived with each other when they awarded the P167–million project for the reconstruction of Unit 2 to a private contractor even if the contractor was not qualified to enter into contracts of projects over P100 million with the government.

Yesterday, market vendor leaders raised their sentiments and called on the concerned city officials for their support to fast track the reconstruction project.

Rogelio Lequigan, one of the board of directors of the Cebu Market Vendors Multipurpose Cooperative, said they have been longing for the completion of the whole structure as they have been sacrificing on selling outside the building and obstructing the road.

“Sa among pundok, dugay na mi nangalyupo nga mapadayon ang building sa Unit II. Kaming tanan sa Carbon Unit II nag-antos nga naa sa karsada. Ang ubang Unit among nasalipdan ug dili tarung ang pag-agi sa mga sakyanan,” he said.

“Nangalyupo mi sa mga hingtungdan nga mga government officials aron ang Unit II mapadayon hangtod mahuman kay andam na mi mobalik aron malimpyo ug ma-modernized ang atong Carbon,” Lequigan said further.

Ma. Victoria Abellana, vice-chairman of the Cebu Vendors Credit Cooperative, also appealed to the city council to address the traffic concern at the Carbon Market caused by the stall holders temporarily occupying the road outside the reconstructed building.

“Nag-ampo mi nga unta mapadayon na unta na nga walay konseho nga mobabag nga tiwason na lang unta na aron ang mga tindero nga naa sa dalan masulod na ug mahawan na ang dalan sa Carbon ug masulbad ang traffic sa Carbon. Maminaw unta ang konseho ug dili na babagan,” she said.

Meanwhile, City Market Administrator Raquel Arce said they hope to celebrate the 10th year of the “Carbon Pasko Na” with the completion of Carbon Market Unit II.

“Manghinaot ta ug apil sa among pangayo ug pangandoy nga unta matagaan og pundo ug mapadayon ang katukoran ug makompleto na ang Carbon Market Unit II,” she said during a press conference yesterday on their activity tagged as “Carbon Pasko Na 2015 - Year 10” that will kick off on December 1, Tuesday.

“For 17 years since nasunog ang (Carbon Market) Unit II, karon lang na siya napatuman sa administrasyon ni Mayor Mike. Dili ta mohunong hangtod dili matagaan og katumanan sa gipangayo sa mga legitimate stall holders nga karon naninda ug nanginabuhi kilid sa karsada human na-igo sa sunog ang Unit II,” Raquel said. — May B. Miasco/ATO (FREEMAN)