Cebu City’s mobile market turned away in Inayawan

Inayawan brgy chief heeds local vendors' request not to allow mobile market to sell there

The Cebu City mobile market was not allowed to sell in Barangay Inayawan after the barangay captain heeded local vendors’ request not to allow the mobile market to sell there on Thursday, April 30, 2020. | Photo Courtesy of Cebu City Market Operation Division.

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City’s mobile market was turned away by the Inayawan barangay captain, who did not allow the mobile market to sell its goods at the barangay’s public market for today.

Inayawan Barangay Captain Kirk Bryan Repollo said the barangay decided to heed the local vendors’ request not to allow the mobile market to sell in the barangay’s public market to be fair to local vendors.

He said the vendors were not able to sell for days since the public market had been closed, and it was only fair that the mobile market would also be refused.

The public market has been closed since the barangay recorded four cases of the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019).

This was the first time that the barangay refused the mobile market. The mobile market was already able to sell twice in the barangay.

“Actually nakabaligya na ang mobile market diri sa Inayawan for 2 times…for 3rd time na unta karon. We closed the Inayawan Public Market last week when it was out in the news nga naay positive sa Inayawan due to the fact nga vendor sa market ang wife sa nagpositive. So to be fair lang sa atong market vendors, wala lang sad ta mo allow FOR TODAY sa mobile market,” said Repollo in a text message.

(Actually the mobile markets was able to sell twice in the barangay…this would be the third time that they could have done so. We closed the Inayawan Public Market last week when it was out in the news that there was a positive case due to the fact that patient’s wife was a market vendor. So to be fair to the market vendors, we did not allow the mobile market to sell to sell at the barangay for today.)

Read more: In Cebu City, around 89 percent of COVID-19 cases are from densely populated areas

In a statement released by the City Market Operations Division, they said the mobile market was supposed to sell at Barangay Inayawan at the barangay’s gym.

However, on Wednesday, April 29, 2020, they were informed that they could not sell because of the complaint of local vendors from the closed Inayawan Public Market.

The local vendors complained that if they could not sell in the market, the mobile market should not be allowed to sell as well.

Read more: Mobile markets to roam around Cebu City

“Mao napugos na lang mi paglakaw kay dili man gyud mi patindahon. Ang intention sa City Government mao ang pagpaduol sa atong merkado nganha sa inyohang lugar aron makapalit mo og presko ug barato nga pagkaon,” said the Market Operations Division in a statement.

(We were forced to leave because they would not allow us to sell in the barangay. The intention of the city government is to bring the markets closer to the people so that they can buy fresh and cheaper goods.)

“Hangyoa please ninyo inyong market vendors nga tugutan mi mamaligya dinha sa inyong Barangay kay dili ni bahin sa ilang income kundi bahin ni sa mga tawo nga makapalit ug konsumo,” said the Market Operations Division.

(Please appeal to your market vendors to allow us to sell in your barangay because this is not about their income or their profit but this is about providing cheaper goods for the residents consumption.)

The Market Authority also encouraged the barangay officials to consider the rest of the residents as well and to find ways to accommodate them as well as the vendors./dbs