CEBU, Philippines — Starting today, Cebu City’s public markets, including the Carbon Public Market, are resuming operations on Sundays but city markets administrator Irvin Caballes stressed that these markets will be closely monitored.
Caballes told The FREEMAN that while no extra preparations or adjustments have been made for the reopening of the markets on Sundays, they will closely monitor the influx of market-goers to ensure that safety and health protocols are observed.
“Mag-monitor mi closely kay mao man nay ingon sa mga vendors nga mas medyo daghan ang mga tawo basta Sunday kaysa ubang mga adlaw. So amo nang obserbahan ugma ug naa gihapon atong mga enforcers,” Caballes said.
The routine disinfections at Carbon will still continue but will not be done by unit, depending on whether or not the unit is crowded.
“I-per unit na ni nato ang disinfection, depende sa availability sa lugar. Like for Unit 1, Sabado sa buntag kay wala naman kaayo maninda. So anha ta mag-disinfect,” said Caballes.
Ambulant vendors, on the other hand, are also taking their own initiative to do their own disinfection.
“Ang atong mga ambulant vendors, kaning naninda sa mga karsada, sila na mismo nag-disinfect every Saturday na ilang schedule,” the market chief said.
Aside from Carbon, other markets in the city like the Pasil Fish Market, Taboan Public Market, Ramos Public Market and Pardo Public Market are also back in operation every Sunday as per Executive Order No. 128 of Mayor Edgardo Labella.
To recall, the markets owned by the city government were closed to the public during Sundays at the height of the pandemic. After the prodding and the decrease in COVID-19 cases in the City, Labella decided to give a go on to the resumption of their operations during Sundays.
Meanwhile, residents of Barrio Luz are the first ones to benefit from the generosity of the Carbon market vendors as they got free vegetables from them ahead of the launch of the city government and Carbon market vendors’ own community pantry at Plaza Sugbu.
The launch of the pantry has been scheduled for tomorrow (April 26), but community pantry organizers of Bo. Luz sent out a request to Carbon market vendors ahead of time.
Aside from the pantry that will be set up at Plaza Sugbu, some of the goods will also be sent to different barangays. But Caballes said they would rather not announce the schedule to avoid crowding the community pantries in the barangays. — JMD (FREEMAN)