City to cemetery vendors: Clear sidewalks of stalls in 72 hours

CEBU, Philippines - Raquel Arce, head of the city’s Prevention Restoration Order Beautification Enhancement, said they will be forced to demolish the stalls if the owners will not heed to the notice.

 “Ato na silang gitagaan og higayon na sila mismo mobuluntaryo nga moguba sa ilang struktura,” she said. Arce clarified that the city is not aiming to close down the vendors’ small businesses but is only taking measures so as not to compromise the safety of visiting families expected to crowd the cemeteries up to November 1.

 “Wala ‘na magpugong nila to make business, only nagbutang lang ‘ta og limitation nga dili ma-compromise ang gobiyerno sa kagamitan sa sidewalk,” she explained, adding that sidewalks are intended for pedestrians.

The PROBE division has made some considerations to the vendors, though, particularly on wider sidewalks.

“Kun lapad ang sidewalk, motugot ta for them to make a living pero dili sad sa sayo-sayo nga petsa. Ari na ‘na duol sa October 30. Pero no permanent structures,” said Arce, citing V. Rama Avenue near Calamba Cemetery as an example.

She said the vendors can occupy one to 1.5 meters of the sidewalk as long as it still has at least one meter for the pedestrians. The PROBE team will be installing steels as marker, added Arce.

“Pero likayan nato nga magbutang og lantay kay kasagaran sa ubang vendors tungod kay mopahimulos sa kahigayonan adto na lang pud matulog didto. Usbon nako, ang atong gihatag nga kahigayunan, is for them to do business, not to dwell,” the PROBE chief stressed.

Meanwhile, the Cebu City Transportation Office has assigned at least 62 personnel to direct and control the flow of public and private vehicles in cemeteries during the occasion.

“They (the deployed traffic enforcers) will assist the flow of traffic on October 29, 30, 31 at the different cemeteries around Cebu City including but not limited to Carreta, Calamba, Pardo, Cabantan, Talamban, Cempark and Queen City Garden,” said lawyer Rey Gealon, the executive director of CCTO.

“This is a combined effort of our operation, engineering, planning and communication and education divisions. Traffic signboards will be installed in these areas to avoid traffic and parking issues on account of the volume of vehicles,” he added.  (FREEMAN)