Groundwork to make ‘Tabo sa Banay’ into a hawker center starts

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City government’s Garbo Asenso Sumbanan Alyansa (GASA) office has been directed to transform the “Tabo sa Banay” into a hawker center.

This is in line with Mayor Michael Rama’s desire for a Singapore-like Cebu City.

A hawker center or cooked food center is an open-air complex commonly found in Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore.

They were built to provide a more sanitary alternative to mobile hawker carts and contain many stalls that sell different varieties of affordable meals.

As reported by the city’s Public Information Office (PIO), GASA head Veronica Jimenez revealed that they have already started preparations to change one of the city’s sought-after food parks, starting with a cleaning operation Thursday.

They cleaned more than 20 Tabo sa Banay stalls as well as its immediate vicinity, wherein they cleared trash from the stalls, unclogged the drainage, and removed garbage left on the street.

“First step lang ni namo ang kaning pagpanglimpyo sa ilang mga stalls, kay dugay na man gud ni nga daghan og eyesores like basura. Maong nagtinabangay mi para ma-achieve nato ang Singapore-like (city) nga pangandoy ni mayor,” said Jimenez.

The activity was done together with personnel from Prevention Restoration Order Beautification Enhancement (PROBE) team, Cebu City Market Office, and the Cebu Environmental Sanitation and Enforcement Team (CESET).

Jimenez said that she is set to meet with other members of the GASA Board to further talk over the plan for Tabo sa Banay.

“Magsige pa mi og meeting kay ganahan mi nga planohan namo ni og tarong before namo i-present sab kang mayor,” she said.

She expressed that she was glad as the vendors responded favorably to their plan, and cooperated during the clearing operation.

“Malipayon mi nga naa sab sila dinhi namo na nitabang nga mahapsay sab ni among lugar dinhi,” said Zenaida Amores, one of the food stall vendors.

Meanwhile, the PROBE conducted a series of meetings with the vendors’ association and informed them of the city’s plan for the area.

“Two weeks ago, nagsige mi og kita sa mga vendors association para ma-inform sab sila…Malipayon sab nga gidawat nila ang plano sa siyudad kay alang ra man sab ni sa ilang kaayohan,” said Jonathan Villas, PROBE team leader.

Villas added that in the coming days, they will also conduct similar clearing operations in other parts of the city.

“Kadugayan, makab-ot ra gyud ni nato ang gipangandoy sa atong mayor kay makita man sab nato nga nitabang sab sila (mga tawo) ug naa sab silay interest sa atong mga plano…basta magtinabangay lang sab gyud ta,” he said.

The PROBE and GASA are also designated to monitor the presence of vendors and mendicants on the city streets. — GMR (FREEMAN)