Retailers seek market’s repair

CEBU, Philippines - The Suba Pasil Market Retailers Association (SPMRA) is requesting Cebu City Hall’s assistance for the repair and restoration of the Phase II building that they are currently occupying.

This, after the association claimed it has not received any assistance from the city government since the members were transferred there.

To recall, 101 stall owners under the association were originally situated at the Pasil Fish Market, but were forced to evacuate the area after the magnitude 7.2 earthquake last October 15, 2013 caused the collapse of the market’s ceiling, killing four vendors.

“In the old Phase II building, there was no lighting, no water, no usable comfort rooms, no stalls, some parts of the roof are destroyed. We just had empty spaces again. After the spaces were raffled off among us, we had to spend again for the necessities adjunct to our selling,” read the association’s letter addressed to City Councilor Alvin Arcilla, chairman of the committee on markets.

The SPMRA said it was the one that installed a water pump and po-wer supply, restored the toilets, gave salary to the cleaners, and repaired the building’s gates, among others.

The association said members organized themselves to address their common problems, saying they ne-ver asked aid from the city government, until now.

The group said it can only do so much, adding that members are hesitant to improve the building because their efforts might “go to waste.”

“There are some needed repairs and/or restorations, enhancing projects that we need in order for the place where we are to be cleaner, hygienic, safe, and pleasant to the eyes of the visitors or customers,” it added. 

In an interview, City Administrator Lucelle Mercado said that the city government did not abandon the association.

“Nag-meeting nami before and kahibawo na sila nga nag-process pa ang city engineering sa POWE (Program of Works and Estimates) para sa restoration sa kana nga building,” she said.

Mercado assured restoration of the building would commence before the year ends.

“Atong tabangan nga ma-paspasan para nila. And nag-process na gyud ta kay dapat man pud ta motuman sa (We would help to hasten the process for their sake.  We are working on it but we must also follow the) procedure,” she said.

The City Council scheduled an executive session on September 10 to answer the inquiries of the association.  (FREEMAN)