Vendors violating rules won’t lose products anymore, only ID

CEBU, Philippines —  Instead of confiscating their products, violators of the sidewalk vending rules and regulations will lost their accreditation from the City Hall.

Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification and Enhancement (PROBE) team and market operations division chief Raquel Arce said they will be confiscating the identification card they issued to the sidewalk vendors.

Arce said they have already started distributing the IDs of registered sidewalk vendors in the city.

Sidewalk vendors are advised to always keep in mind the rules and regulations to prevent their IDs from being confiscated. Once their ID is confiscated, they will be required to attend a seminar for a week to have it back.

"Sauna, ang mga baligya man ang atong i-confiscate. Sa karon kay ang ID nalang gyud. Kinahanglan nga duna gud tay disiplina kay alang raman sad na sa kahapsay sa kadalanan,"  Arce said.

The data from the city market operations division shows that there are more than 5,000 sidewalk vendors in the city. The city government is strictly regulating street vending to prevent the vendors from blocking the road and the pedestrians.

Arce said they are constantly meeting the vendors to remind them of their responsibilities. Vendors were allowed to return to the sidewalks in Cebu City as they were found compliant with the city’s vending rules.

The city government is giving ambulant vendors the opportunity to earn a living through street vending. The rules include the observance of 2.5-meter distance from street posts to avoid obstruction. Street vendors are also required to clean their designated vending areas.

The city government is optimistic that the system will be sustained with the cooperation of all the vendors. — FPL (FREEMAN)