Cops behind Makati mobile canteens?

The mobile canteens or Jolli-jeeps that have earned the ire of the Makati Commercial Estate Association (MACEA) are reportedly earning as much as P200,000 a month and are being protected or operated by law enforcers.

Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay reported over the weekend that the Jolli-jeeps take in an average of P5,000 to P10,000 a month and the city government has no share in the operations.

Binay said that most of the Jolli-jeeps are being operated by policemen, their relatives or counterparts in other law enforcement agencies.

The only fee they pay is protection money to either the policemen, MAPSA, Makati Parking Authority or organized criminal groups.

Because of the unsanitary conditions and practices of the Jolli-jeeps, the MACEA asked the city government to help address the problem for the benefit of the Central Business District as well as the city’s residents.

In response, the City Council passed an ordinance regulating the operations of the mobile canteens in the CBD.

The ordinance requires all the operators of food stalls located on the roads of the CBD to secure health and sanitation permits and to comply with the standards set by the City Health Department.

Specially made food stalls would also be provided by the city government for a fee to the operators to replace the unsanitary vehicles used at present.

Binay explained that the fees to be shouldered by the operators would be equal to or less than what they are paying to their "protectors" and at the same time their operations would be legalized.

He pointed out that several of the operators are actually renting the vehicles they use to sell their wares for a fee of at least P1,000 a day. As an initial step, the Makati government has started collecting "alkabala" from the Jolli-jeep operators equivalent to P100 a day.

Binay stressed that they are engaged in a business and should therefore provide the city government with some sort of fee.

He added that there would be regular inspectons to be conducted by the Health Department and those who violate the standards set would be closed down and penalized.