Talisay won't reopen Tabunok public market

CEBU, Philippines - Despite appeals from the opposition, the Talisay City government will not reopen the Tabunok public market.

“It is not going to happen. We already have the Lagtang Public Market, so we will continue to utilize the public market,” city administrator Richel Bacaltos said.

Bacaltos said proof that the city has no plans to reopen the Tabunok market is the ongoing programs which are aimed to boost the sales at the Lagtang Public Market.

He said the city is spending an average of P700 per tricycle driver per day for its free ride project to the Lagtang market.

There are 10 tricycles deployed in barangay Tabunok to transport market-goers to Lagtang and back.

The administrator said this program proves that the government is bent on bringing as many customers to the new market as possible.

Several vendors, who have been appealing to the government to reopen the Tabunok Public Market, still claim their sales at the new market have not picked up after six months of being there.

The market was closed August last year when all vendors had moved to Lagtang.

Opposition Councilor Danny Caballero also echoed the calls of the vendors and said that instead of spending “so much” for this free ride project, “might as well spend it for the rehabilitation” of the Tabunok Public Market, instead of letting the facility rot.

But Bacaltos maintained that there is no way that the city would flip-flop its decision, and as to what will be done to the vacated Tabunok Public Market is still not being considered by the government.

It’s still not the time to make decisions on what to do with the Tabunok Public Market. It is still too early to make one,” he said. (FREEMAN)