Public hearing set for market construction

CEBU, Philippines - Before contracting a loan for the construction of new Tabunok Public Market, the Talisay City Council will hold another public hearing with market vendors association and various stakeholders Monday next week.

In a letter addressed to council presiding officer Vice Mayor Romeo Villarante, Mayor Johnny "JVR" De los Reyes is seeking for the hearing to get answers to questions concerning expenditures in the market's construction.

The council earlier approved JVR's entering of a loan with Landbank of the Philippines to finance the construction, but Villarante maintained that the mayor first secure a feasibility study about the venture.

De los Reyes said the project will involve the construction of a three-story building costing P350 million. He hopes to construct the market before 2016.

During the hearing, the mayor is expected to present a feasibility study on the project's viability in all its aspects.

Last week, the City Council approved an eight-page report allowing that a third party and independent consultant be hired to conduct a feasibility study, considering that no architectural design has yet been submitted for the council to consider.

Council members noted that it would be best that the design must match satisfactorily the basis for the amount loaned.

The committee as a whole also pointed out that detailed engineering shall proceed only on the basis of the feasibility or preliminary engineering study made, which establishes the technical viability of the project and conformance to land use and zoning guidelines.

In a public hearing conducted recently, it was brought up that the setup of the existing building will be the same and alterations will only be focused on the façade of the buildings to make it appealing and attractive.

The parking area, as suggested by Villarante, will be transferred and located at the back portion of the public market where ingress and egress will be conveniently available.

The council, which acted as a committee as a whole, agreed that the Tabunok Public Market will not compete with the "convenience concept" espoused by malls as its concept will be different from them.

Councilor Socrates Fernandez, who is the chairman of the Committee on Infrastructure, said in considering for the design and plans for the public market, situations 10 years from now must be considered.

Paul Labalan, who represents the vendors association, is asking the council that the plans be finalized as he concurred with the decision of the council to have the construction done phase by phase.

Labalan, however, suggested that before the construction, there should be assigned stalls for each existing vendor.

"If there are new stalls to be built, raffling of the stall ownership should be made before the construction of the stalls and legitimate members who are members of the association should be given the priority to own the stalls," Labalan said.

The vendors suggested that the fish section should be built according to the number of vendors with some formulated guidelines on the raffling of the stalls, giving priority to the senior vendors or to the old vendors.

The vendors wanted the design of the stalls to be built same way as in Lagtang market wherein they have their own water faucet.

During the construction, the vendors are willing to give way by staying at the sides of the market but not transfer to Lagtang or any other place.

Labalan will point out during the hearing on Monday that stalls should be accessible to the buying public.  He will also request that each section should have its own storage.

Sherwin Echavez, a vendor, suggested that it would be good that the LGU will give seminars to vendors regarding market sanitation so they will be educated on this aspect.— Garry B. Lao (FREEMAN)