Squatters rebuild houses at Carbon Market Unit 2 lot

Several months after the City Hall personnel cleared the lot where the Carbon Market Unit 2 was situated so it can be rebuilt, squatters in barangay Ermita went back to the place and rebuilt their homes there.

Erwin Goc-ong, chairman of Cebu Market Vendors Development Cooperative, said this happened because the city failed to compel the Young Builders Corporation to vacate the place they had “held hostage” for several years now.

“Mora na god og socialized housing ang lugar kaniadto sa Carbon market Unit II.  Kay gipatag na man unta sa City Hall ang lugar, naglumbay na hinoon ang mga balay, duna pay gibutang nga basketbolan,” Goc-ong told The Freeman.

According to Goc-ong Young Builders Corporation posted some guards in the place and refused to destroy the fence that it placed around the area of Unit 2, thus delaying the construction of a ramp along M.L. Quezon Boulevard was delayed.

The Young Builders Corporation won the bidding for the construction of a P144.9-million new building for Carbon market Unit II during the administration of then mayor Alvin Garcia, but it was revoked by Mayor Tomas Osmeña in 2001 because he was not happy with the management of the public market. 

He learned that many of the vendors, particularly those occupying the Freedom Park and Warwick Barracks markets, have failed to pay their huge rentals. 

Carbon Market Unit 2 was gutted by a fire in 1998.

The mayor wants to rebuild Carbon Market Units 1, 2 and 3 to have a rooftop on its structure that could be used as parking area for vehicles to solve traffic congestion in Carbon market.

He also ordered the construction of a ramp that will connect the three market buildings and all passenger vehicles are required to park at the second floor of the building.

His intention is that those vendors occupying the second floor will have the same advantage as those renting at the ground floor because the passengers will be compelled to pass by their stalls.

Osmeña was irked when he found out that work on the P130-million ramp at the market cannot start yet because of Young Builders’ refusal to open Unit 2.  The firm built a perimeter fence around the structure and refused entry to the site until City Hall pays what they claim is owed to them.

The ramp, which is supposed to go around and connect units 1, 2 and 3, will start on Escaño St., turns left over Quezon Blvd. then over F. Gonzales St. as exit point for all vehicles.   — Rene U. Borromeo/BRP