Reopening of Pasil Fish Market, Suba Fish Port being evaluated

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu City government is now evaluating whether or not to lift the closure order on Suba Fish Port and Pasil Fish Market, Cebu’s largest fish market.

Both the market and the port were ordered closed starting on May 3 due to the hike in COVID-19 cases in the neighboring barangays of Pasil and Suba. Both villages are densely-populated areas.

“That will have to be analyzed because first and foremost, we have to consider the lives of our people, but of course we should not also disregard the opportunities for them to earn a living... we will find out, we will evaluate,” said Mayor Edgardo Labella.

The development came after Cebu City transitioned to general community quarantine on June 1 from enhanced community quarantine.

The closure prompted some vendors to sell their supplies of fish online or even house-to-house.

The vendors then lobbied for the resumption of operations, which Labella granted on May 21.

But they were only allowed to sell the seafood at the temporary bagsakan center at the South Road Properties (SRP) near the San Pedro Calungsod Chapel.

“Ato mana sila gipahuluna sa SRP and I think they are doing very well. We supported them and we provided them with amenities,” said Labella.

The area though may be far from the usual fish market and fish port people are used to.

But the mayor said the area at the SRP was big enough for the vendors to put up stalls in a safe distance from each other.

“It is not congested because the place is quite huge and then we can practice social distancing,” he said.  KQD (FREEMAN)