Displaced Lapu fish vendors ask Mayor Chan for help
Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu—Around 56 fish vendors from the Lapu-Lapu City Public Market appealed to Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan to allocate a stall for them in the newly renovated public market.
The market went under renovation last 2017 and was reopened in June 2019.
Among the changes made was that passage ways were made bigger, which in turn lessened the number of stalls in the market.
This is the reason why not all who had stalls before were able to get spots when the market reopened.
Marcelina Estardo, who is 79 years old, is those who were displaced.
She said that she’s been a vendor at the Lapu-Lapu City Public Market since she was 15.
“Mao nga nihangyo ko ni mayor, kay karaan na baya kong vendor diha. Akong mga anak pod, magpuli-puli nalang mi og pamaligya sa isdaan,” Estardo said.
(That’s why I am appealing to the mayor [to help me]. I’ve been a vendor there for so long. My children and I even take turns selling in the fish section.)
Estardo showed to CDN Digital her permit and registration in the market for this year.
Market Administrator Maria Elena Caballes explained that currently only the ground floor of the market, which is intended for the fish and meat, is being occupied at the moment.
The second floor of the market, which is intended for the dry goods, still needs to undergo some finishing touches.
Based on their record, Caballes said that originally, there were 174 fish vendors in the market. Now, only 118 are accommodated.
She explained that there’s a reason why some of were displaced.
“Sagad aning wa mataga-i og pwesto kay namaligya ug nipaabang sa ilang pwesto, ug ang uban kay wa motultol og bayad sa ilang abangan,” Caballes said.
(Most of those who weren’t given stalls are those who sold or had their stalls rented. The others are those who haven’t paid rent.)
Chan, for his part, told reporters that he will look for a solution so that all vendors in the market will be accommodated.
Earlier, Chan visited the market and ordered to clear vendors who are obstructing the roads and pedestrian lanes.
The mayor also wants to amend the City’s Market Code and increase the vendors monthly rentals.
At present, vendors are paying around P100 to P200 per month for rent. Chan wants to make it P60 per day. /bmjo
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