Alcoseba to vendors: Police your own ranks

CEBU, Philippines – Councilor Raul "Yayoy" Alcoseba has challenged the officials of different vendors associations in the city to police their own ranks against the unscrupulous members who are engaged in "dirty tactics" just to gain more profit by victimizing their customers.

Alcoseba, chairman of the Cebu City Council's committee on markets, said he received complaints from the consumers against some vendors in Carbon Public Market who use defective weighing scales so the consumers pay the correct prices, but the products they bought are less than their supposed weight.

"Bahala gud og presyohan ninyo og husto ang inyong mga baligya basta husto lang sa timbang kay dili g'yud ta madatu anang manikas," said Alcoseba.

A representative of the Cebu City United Vendors Association (CCUVA) confirmed there are some vendors who use defective weighing scales, but Market Administrator Raquel Arce said these vendors do not own the weighing scales.

"Kining mga tindera gud nag-abang ra kini sila og timbangan gikan sa pila ka mga tawo diha nga ang negosyo mao ang pagpaabang og mga timbangan ngadto sa mga vendors," Arce told Alcoseba who presided over the meeting of the members of the Cebu City Market Authority.

According to Arce, these unscrupulous ambulant fish vendors usually operate on Calderon and El Filibusterismo Streets.

Arce has suggested to the vendors to buy their own weighing scales. A vendor however told The FREEMAN that there are some persons, believed to be members of a "syndicate," who will not allow ambulant vendors to vend in sidewalks if they will not use their weighing scales.

Vendors allegedly pay a rent of P10 every day or every night for using the weighing scales of these people.

"Barato ra man unta na ang timbangan, Sir, wala man gani kaabot og usa ka libo ang uban pero dili man kami patindahon nila kon dili gikan nila ang timbangan," a vendor said.

Last year, The FREEMAN also uncovered a syndicate operating in Carbon market that does not allow vendors to sell their goods in the sidewalk or roadsides unless they rent bamboo beds or "lantay" from these unscrupulous people.

Arce earlier called for a meeting with those persons who owns dozens of "lantay" not to compel the vendors to rent if they choose to just place their products on the road. (FREEMAN)