Sidewalk clearing ops start ahead of Sinulog

Personnel of the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) start clearing Osmeña Boulevard of vendors and clamping illegally parked vehicles. CDN Photo/Junjie Mendoza

Cebu City Hall personnel began clearing out the sidewalks of vendors from the Capitol grounds down to Plaza Independencia as part of preparations for next month’s annual Sinulog.

Councilor Dave Tumulak, deputy mayor for police matters, said the routes to the solemn procession and the Basilica are being cleared and in their place “discipline zones” are being set up to ensure an orderly celebration of the Sinulog.

“Wala nay mga vendors (there are no more vendors) within the vicinity of the Basilica. It should be a few meters away, usa na sa atong giusab ron (that’s one of the things we are changing now),” Tumulak said.

The gates along Osmeña Boulevard will serve as entrance for the devotees of the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño with the exit points being the gates facing the Magellan’s Cross.

Raquel Arce, head of the Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification, Enhancement (Probe) team, said they cleared out 50 vendors in a “soft clearing” operation yesterday.

“More on we scolded them and told them to look for space on secondary roads, not at Osmeña Boulevard,” Arce said.

Based on restrictions set by the PNP, Phase 1 which covers the Capitol grounds to R. Langdon street would be a zero tolerance area.

Phase 2 or R. Langdon to Jakosalem Street is a maximum tolerance area while Phase 3 or Jakosalem Street to the Plaza Independencia area is a zero tolerance zone.

Arce said Phase 2 is a maximum tolerance area because the vendors in front of the Abellana National High School are under contract with the Sinulog Foundation.

After their contract ends, Arce said they will clear them out along with vendors with temporary permits.