Food vending at Fuente draws some complaints

To soften the flow of traffic particularly during nighttime, several motorists have urged Mayor Tomas Osmeña to strictly prohibit food vending at the Fuente Osmeña rotunda.

“We are always inviting problems. I blame the city government for not keeping and following the ordinances to the teeth and always giving exemption just to make money whenever they could,” said one of the motorists who complained on the issue.

Another complainant, who lodged his complaint through the website of the city government, said: “How can we expect people to follow the rules, ordinances, laws when some officials like the mayor just tolerate illegal activities.”

Urban poor consultant Gerry Marquez told The Freeman yesterday afternoon that he already advised the Squatters Prevention Encroachment and Elimination Division to immediately act on the complaints.

But Dolly Suzarra of the Sinulog Foundation Incorporated informed The Freeman  that the operation of street vendors every night at Fuente Osmeña rotunda is sanctioned by the city through the foundation. The vendors have uniform stalls printed with a softdrink brand.

“Kanang softdrink company usa na sa mga major sponsors sa atong Sinulog grand parade ug Mardi Gras. Ang mga vendors gitugotan lang nga makapaninda matag gabii hangtod sa Fiesta Senyor,” Suzarra said.

Those vendors operating at the Fuente Osmeña rotunda are members of the Cebu City United Vendors Association, the group allied with the administration.

The complainant learned that one of the vendors’ group leaders, Ermita barangay captain Felicisimo Rupinta, was the one who convinced the mayor to stop the demolition of stalls along B. Rodriguez Street.

“Why do we have to sacrifice our sidewalks, our city streets and making us all inconvenient? We have so little sidewalks already and the city government is not doing anything about it,” said another complainant. — Rene U. Borromeo/LPM