Carbon bldg. now under "state of calamity"

The city council finally declared unit one of the Carbon Public Market a calamity area and a rehabilitation of the old structure is expected to start immediately.

In its regular session yesterday afternoon, the city council approved the resolution of councilors Christopher Alix and Gabriel Leyson to declare unit one as a calamity area after 17 of its posts are discovered to be no longer connected to the building's foundation.

Leyson, head of the city's committee on urban planning and development, had said around P17 million from the city's calamity fund would be used to rehabilitate the building after the city government selects the contractor to undertake the project. At present, three contractors are up to the job including Dakay, Socor and WT Construction.

Leyson said the rehabilitation will run for 30 to 45 days and the city government will do its best to fast-track the procedure without having to compromise the outcome of the rehabilitation. The city government's P60 million calamity fund is part of the city's annual budget.

The other day, the city's market authority decided to relocate 476 vendors to the second floor of unit three after Mayor Tomas Osmeña gave a go signal for the relocation. Market Administrator Elpidio dela Victoria had said that should the vendors defy Osmeña's closure order, his office would be forced to apply police power by virtue of the council's resolution.