Tumulak briefs Sinulog vendors on new guidelines

Three months before the Sinulog festivities, Cebu City Councilor David Tumulak met with the officers and members of at least seven groups of vendors in the vicinity of Basilica Minore del Santo Niño to orient them on the new guidelines that will be imposed during the celebration.

Tumulak, who is the overall chairman of the Sinulog Foundation Executive Committee, said that the new regulations include a new ID system for the vendors, designation of areas where they can sell, and the prerequisite training that they must comply.

“Apil ani katong mga manindahay og buwak, kandila, tubig, balloons, pagkaon. Kaning mga maninda og pagkaon, ato sad ni silang ipa-seminar sa City Health for safe food handling. Apil sad ani kining fire prevention para sa mga namaligya og kandila (We included those who sell flowers, candles, water, balloons and food. Food vendors will have to undergo a safe foodhandling seminar at the City Health. Also, we included fire prevention for candle vendors),” Tumulak said.

Vendors are required to fill out and submit information sheets at the Sinulog Foundation so they will be given identifications cards.

It is specified in the vendors’ IDs the specific areas where they can sell and the emergency numbers that they can dial if there are incidents in their area.

“They can’t overlap other areas. Areas will be color-coded to easily identify vendors who are assigned there,” said Tumulak.

The vendors will also be prohibited from bringing stocks in their area so as not to obstruct passages.

“Adto na ibutang sa San Roque Gym ang ilang mga baligya. Ang mga taga-probinsya, adto na sila sa Devotee City. Kato ilang stocks adto pud didto (The stocks will be housed at the San Roque Gym [in Barangay San Roque near the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral]. Those who are coming from the provinces will stay at the Devotee’s City as well as their stocks),” he said.

“We received several complaints before that the devotees had a hard time entering the Basilica because of the many vendors. Then some of them were victimized by pickpockets because of the congestion, so we want to improve that. If all these will be implemented, next year’s celebration will be the most organized and peaceful yet,” Tumulak added.

“We asked them to follow the plan. Due to some complaints, the city government plans to assign the vendors in designated areas. What happened before was that the number of devotees was also same with the number of vendors,” he said.

Tumulak said they expect over a thousand of vendors for next year. This includes accredited vendors, ambulant vendors and those coming from other provinces.

Police officers, barangay tanods and Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification and Enhancement (Probe) will be stationed in their area to help monitor and secure that the vendors will not go beyond the areas they are assigned to.

According to Tumulak, they look forward to a cleaner celebration of Sinulog next year since the vendors will also be tasked to clean their assigned areas. /WITH A REPORT FROM CORRESPONDENT INNA GIAN MEJIA