Protest greets council review of Carbon JVA

CEBU, Philippines — Unified Carbon groups staged a protest march on Tuesday, coinciding with an executive session at Cebu City Hall where councilors reviewed the joint venture agreement (JVA) between Cebu2World Development Inc. and the Cebu City Government.

The groups, including the Cebu Market Vendors Multi-Purpose Cooperative (Cemvedco), Cebu City United Vendors Association (CCUVA), and Carbonhanong Alyansa, assembled at 9 a.m. along M.C. Briones Street before marching to City Hall to show support for their leaders attending the closed-door session.

After the meeting, Carbon leaders reported what they described as encouraging developments, citing increased interest from council members and more in-depth discussions on key issues surrounding the Carbon redevelopment project.

Maria Pino, chairperson of CCUVA, said the outcome of the executive session was positive and expressed hope that the discussions would lead to concrete action.

She noted that councilors raised concerns about the situation at Carbon and appeared willing to scrutinize provisions of the agreement more closely. Among the issues clarified were conditions affecting ambulant vendors, including space allocation and the possibility of continuing night-time operations.

Pino also said questions were raised about the scope of land covered in the contract, particularly why certain areas reportedly not owned by the city were included in the JVA.

While stopping short of saying they were fully satisfied, Pino emphasized that the identification of several “loopholes,” along with councilors’ openness to review or revise the agreement, gave vendors renewed optimism.

She also questioned the structure of the deal, stressing that vendors should have been included if the agreement is indeed a public-private partnership.

“Ato sang naklaro didto nga joint venture agreement man gani, PPP man kaha ni ngano wamay vendors? So asa naman diay ang mga stakeholders? Kinahanglan og PPP naa tanan dili kay sila ra,” she said.

Meanwhile, Jovelyn “Che-Che” Gomez said the session exposed inconsistencies in earlier claims about revenue collection within the market.

She said it was acknowledged during the discussion that collections had already been made from commercial establishments operating inside Carbon, contrary to previous statements.

Gomez also disputed claims that the private partner would shoulder all project costs, stressing that the city’s contribution, particularly the land, should be considered significant given its prime commercial value.

Following the session, Cebu City Councilor Sisinio Andales said the agreement would undergo further review, raising hopes among vendors that the contract would be thoroughly scrutinized.

Carbon groups said they are now awaiting the council’s next move, expressing hope that the review will go beyond a cursory assessment and address provisions they believe disadvantage the city.

“Hoping nga mahimuan gyud ni shag action nga ma review balik ang kontrata dili lang simpleng review or basahon kung dili kutihon gyud, tul-iron unsay mga sayop, ayohon unsay mga sakit ato nga kontrata. Kung matuki gyud nga generally alkansi gyud ang siyudad pinaka maayo og ikalipay kaayo namo nga ma-annul o ma-junk ang kontrata,” Gomez said.

Gomez noted that the issue has persisted across several administrations—from former Mayor Edgardo Labella to Michael Rama and Raymond Alvin Garcia, and now under Mayor Nestor Archival.

Vendors said they are counting on Archival, who previously supported their cause as a councilor, to continue advocating for their interests, along with those of consumers and those who rely on the Carbon Public Market.

Despite these developments, Carbon leaders maintained that their position remains focused on ensuring that public officials prioritize the welfare of the people and uphold public interest in decisions concerning the redevelopment project. — Elizabeth Salarde, UP Cebu Intern/FPL