EDITORIAL - Don’t hold night markets for the sake of night markets

Pushing for his vision of a Cebu City like Singapore, Mayor Michael Rama said there are now plans to set up a night market along B. Rodriguez Street. Mayor Rama said it can attract more visitors and help enliven tourism near Fuente Osmeña.

While this sounds good, we should not hold night markets just for the sake of holding night markets.

The biggest issue with night markets is that they cause traffic. Especially if they occupy a major thoroughfare and if they operate during hours people are usually commuting en masse to go somewhere --which is usually the case.

Like the Colon night market it can become an inconvenience to the greater majority while benefitting only a few.

If the mayor is bent on pursuing his plan along B. Rodriguez, then at least the organizers should make sure it offers something else, something entirely different from what has come to be expected.

If that B. Rodriguez night market offers the same food one can find in nearby Larsian then there’s really no use for that night market. If it offers the same items one can buy in Carbon Market or any roadside stall or store for that matter, same thing.

Yet another thing; if the B. Rodriguez night market is to be held simultaneously with the Colon night market it should also be something else entirely, otherwise both will be just the same kind of animal.

Don’t get us wrong, we are not against having night markets per se. What we are saying is if we should have a night market it should be for a good reason, not just to make some place look lively, or make it look like Singapore, since such an activity will ultimately come at the expense of many commuters.

A night market should also offer something different, otherwise it will still be just the same as a food stall or sidewalk store one can buy from during the day --the only difference being that it is causing traffic at night.