Soc keeps tight watch on private market

CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez has ordered the city’s market task force to verify reports that vendors at the Nacario Trade Center (NTC are still selling “prohibited” goods.

City spokesperson Arturo Bas said the mayor issued this order during the regular meeting with the department heads the other day.

Bas said if the reports are true, the city may reject NTC’s application for an occupancy permit, which is a pre-requisite for a business permit.

The city hall spokesperson said Fernandez has added additional heads to the market task force to ensure that this issue will be addressed.

Last month, the city closed several stalls at NTC which were selling vegetables, fruits, rice and corn, canned goods, noodles, dried fish, eggs and other poultry products as ordered by Regional Trial Court branch 7 Judge Estela Alma Singco.

The city has cleared out NTC of goods also sold at the Lagtang Public Market for the purpose of improving its sales, which has not picked up since it opened in August.

The NTC had assured the city that it would comply with the court order, but Bas revealed that reports had it that there are still a number of vendors selling the prohibited items.

This prompted Fernandez to increase the number of personnel of the market task force to monitor if these reports are true.

A reliable source, however, said she doubts if the people from city hall can catch these vendors, especially that they operate during the early morning before the monitoring team arrives. - THE FREEMAN