City to manage night markets

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City government will not allow private organizers of the night market along Legaspi and P. Lopez Streets to collect money to almost 200 small-scale entrepreneurs.

Effective last night, the city directly handled the operation of the night market after Mayor Tomas Osmeña acted on the complaints he received from the vendors that the organizers collects hefty fees.

Mayor’s Executive Assistant Francisco Fernandez said the mayor doesn’t want this kind of system wherein organizers make the vendors as a milking cow.

“Daghan kaayo ta og report nga gipangkwartahan napud ang mga vendors, so the mayor acted on that last week pa,” he told The FREEMAN.

Based on the reports, these organizers will ask P180 to P350 per night from the traders.

In previous years, the vendors have their respective organizers during night market.

With the change in the scheme, the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) will just collect P50 per night from the vendors.

Since November 16, the vendors are allowed to display their products on the identified streets during night time.

Fernandez said he is leading the special team which is responsible for monitoring the night market operation.

The team is composed of personnel from the City Administrator’s Office, Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP), and from the Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification, and Enhancement (PROBE) team.

Those who will be caught paying to organizers will be disqualified from selling their products in the night market.

He added his team is now screening the vendors in order to check whether or not they are residing in the city.

Fernandez explained they are doing this upon the directive of the mayor that the night market will be made exclusive for city vendors.

PROBE Head Raquel Arce said they will implement “No ID, No Vending” policy to ensure that only Cebu City residents can sell their wares.

“Hangyo nako sa nag-night market, they must secure their ID diri sa Office sa City Administrator, kinahanglan ma-secure nila ang ID karon aron makapadayon sa pagpaninda,” she said.

She said those non-city residents will be accommodated if there is enough space in the night market area. (FREEMAN)