Unit 1 of Carbon Market is now closed

Acting City Administrator Francisco "Bimbo" Fernandez said the city government is not responsible if anything happens to vendors who are resisting the order to vacate the Unit 1 of Carbon Market due to its structural defects.

Fernandez yesterday said a team from City Hall went to the area on Friday and Saturday to post "restricted" notices due to its closure for further evaluation. The police detailed at Unit 1 of the market are also advised to strictly ban sleeping, especially during nighttime, in the area.

Fernandez said during a series of meetings last Friday and Saturday, affected market vendors were made to sign upon receiving the notice of closure that they have been aware of the order.

"Unit 1 has been technically closed since last Saturday," Fernandez told The FREEMAN.

Before Mayor Tomas Osmeña left for Europe last July 1, he ordered Cebu Market Vendors Cooperative president Erwin Gok-ong, Sr. and his members to immediately vacate from the Unit 1 of the market following an evaluation report submitted by the Office of the City Engineer.

In his report, Gerardo Castro of the city engineering office said that 17 of the 80 columns of the building in Unit 1 have severe cracks.

Castro said some of the slowly disintegrating building supports are susceptible to water considering that the structure, which was built in the 1950s, is near the sea.

But despite the "eminent danger," many vendors still refuse to heed the order from the city government, which is leasing market stalls to vendors.

"That is not a choice. They have to vacate or we will be constrained to fence the whole area," Fernandez said.

The City Hall had sought the help of WT Construction and Dakay Construction to evaluate the cost of the building's rehabilitation.