Soc tells vendors to move to new public market

CEBU, Philippines - Mayor Socrates Fernandez has issued a notice to all vendors of the Tabunok Public Market telling them to transfer to the public market-cum-terminal in barangay Lagtang.

The same notice, which has already been circulated by the market personnel, also serves as an ultimatum which indicates that vendors are to vacate the old place before June 28.

Talisay City's spokesperson Arturo Bas, in an interview, said the mayor has given a 30-day grace period to the vendors for them to leave the dilapidated public market before the city closes it down.

The city is not calling off this plan as the Lagtang market building "is ready for occupancy," he said.

To be fair to all legitimate vendors, the city hall will raffle off the stalls next week and the one-stall-one-individual policy will be strictly implemented to discourage individuals from owning more than one stall, Bas said.

Meanwhile, Bas said they are expecting protests from vendors who had earlier threatened to stage massive demonstrations in protest to the impending transfer.

The hundreds of stallholders at the Tabunok Public Market have contended that the new location is not accessible to the buying public, and have appealed to the government to provide an access road from Tabunok to Lagtang.

The city has agreed to this compromise but since the project would involve a huge budget and planning, the city has stalled it pending the purchase of private lots affected by the road-right-of-way.

City Councilor Rodi Cabigas said the four-lane Lagtang Road will temporarily serve the buying public while the promised Tabunok-Lagtang circumferential road has yet to be constructed.

The city will still bring in the customers to the Lagtang market by transferring the tricycle terminal there hence it's called a public market-cum terminal, said Bas.

Bas said both the Tabunok Public Market and the adjacent tricycle terminal will be closed by June 28.

The passengers will not have to pay double for a ride to Lagtang as what is commonly feared, Bas said.