Sidewalk clearing to continue — MMDA

The Metro Manila czar will not budge.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando has maintained he will not give in to requests by some mayors for a moratorium on the sidewalk clearing operations this December.

Parañaque Mayor Joey Marquez and Pasay Mayor Wenceslao Trinidad earlier asked for a temporary suspension of the clearing operations in a number of strategic areas for the holidays.

Baclaran, which serves the boundary of the Pasay and Parañaque along Roxas Boulevard, has one of the largest volume of ambulant vendors in Metro Manila, comparable to that in Divisoria.

The area has recently become the venue for one of the most intense sidewalk clearing operations under Fernando’s campaign rid cities of illegal vendors.

"We have to keep the pressure on to force illegal vendors to use the markets," the MMDA chief said.

He said the campaign will continue for the next one and a half years when his term officially ends.

Because there is no certainty that he would continue as MMDA chairman after 2003, Fernando said that he will exert all efforts to clear the roads of Metro Manila of all obstructions.

On the plan of some local government units to set up night markets to accommodate the vendors during the Yuletide season, Fernando said that he would not oppose this as long as they are not situated on the roads or sidewalks.

He explained that the proposed night markets should be set up on vacant or private lots that would not affect the flow of traffic.

Makati City and Muntinlupa City have signified their intention to come up with night markets similar to the ones in Hong Kong because of their growing popularity among bargain hunters.– Marvin Sy