City to launch ‘Carbon Pasko Na’

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City’s Office of the City Market, in coordination with the United Multi-Sectoral Council, will launch today the 9th “Carbon Pasko Na 2014.”

This year’s theme, “Panaghiusa Ipadayon alang sa Tinuod nga Kalambuan,” will unite all market vendor associations in the city to provide good service to market goers.

According to City Market Administrator Raquel Arce, the city’s market today is very different from nine years ago as it is presently cleaner and safer.

“Ato gyung ikagarantiya nga limpyo ug hapsay na ang atong Carbon. Kauban sa Carbon Police Station, maka-assure na gyod ko nga ang mga market goers dili na maguol bisan asa sila mamalit sa merkado,” Arce assured.

When asked what can the market goers expect in this year’s celebration, Cebu Market Vendors Development Cooperative chairman Eric Go-c-ong said that the discount for the purchase of rice is now up for appro-val.

“Ang atoang gi-propose is kung mopalit sila og 10 kilos nga bugas, naay libreng usa ka kilo,” he said.

Goc-ong, also the chairman of the Grain Retailers Confederation of the Philippines Cebu City North, said the confederation will be giving subsidy to the vendors who will implement the discount.

He said that if the proposed discount is approved, it will be implemented from December 17 to December 31 this year.

Cemvedco will also be replacing the old “timbangan ng bayan” with a new one.

Goc-ong said there are five weighing scales to be replaced.

These “timbangan ng bayan” weighing scales are used by the market goers whenever they feel that they are being shortchanged by the vendors.

To kick off the celebration today, there will be a parade followed with a Mass. Simultaneous lighting of the Christmas trees in the market will then follow, said Arce.

The city also launched yesterday the 10th Kasadya sa Downtown on Colon Street.

The activity was spearheaded by the City’s Downtown Revitalization Project headed by its director George Chu.

Chu said the activity aims to revitalize the city’s downtown area known as the oldest street in the country. Colon Street was known to be the center of trade, commerce, and industry decades ago.

This year’s celebration is dubbed as “Colon: Dalan Sa Kalinaw, Kalambuan ug Kasadya.” The activity will be participated in by different schools, barangays, and civic organizations. — Jean Marvette A. Demecillo/NSA (FREEMAN)