DPWH exec says: City night market violates law

CEBU, Philippines - A Department of Public Works and Highways official has called Cebu City’s night market as “illegal” because it allegedly violates Republic Act 917 (Philippine Highway Act of 1953).

“It (night market) is illegal because it utilized the national road,” said District Engineer Fernando Cruz during a City Council public hearing last Wednesday.

Mayor Michael Rama, however, countered that only the court can give the verdict as to the legality of the night market.

“Kung magsige sila og sulti nga illegal ang court ra ang mosulti ana (They keep on saying it is illegal, but only the court could say that). We talk now of adjusting to what’s apt but they (vendors) are poor people. Daghan dakponon but tungod kay pobre ang atong (There are many activities that if nitpicked are also illegal, but since our country is poor) we must adjust,” he said.

“The stomach has to be feed (sic), business has to be affordable to all; but the poor cannot have the business because they don’t have enough money to rent. That is why evening belongs to them and morning belongs to those who can afford,” added the mayor, a lawyer by profession.

Rama said that many laws are currently unimplemented because in reality, several circumstances hinder their enforcement.

“Circumstances will always bring laws ‘unimplementable,’ even during disaster laws are operative but cannot be implemented because of disaster or other calamities,” he said.

The program aimed to light up the whole stretch of Colon St., maintain peace and order, promote a clean and green program, improve traffic flow, regulate vendors, and boost business in the area.

“The downtown is experiencing significant congestion every time naay (there is a) night market; the road width is severely reduced in cases of emergencies, like fire, and it displaced PUJ drivers since Colon is the major end of (the routes) of most public transport,” he told The FREEMAN.  (FREEMAN)