Cabales: Carbon Market vendors now compliant with safety, health protocols

Cebu City Market Authority head Irvin Cabales briefs Carbon market stall owners on the importance of the pooled testing. | Photo courtesy of Cebu City PIO

CEBU CITY, Philippines –Vendors and market porters now wear face masks while within the vicinity of the Carbon Public Market in Cebu City.

Irvin Cabales, head of the Cebu City Market Authority, said that even ambulant vendors have already developed the practice of disinfection with the use of alcohol that they would always carry with them.

Cabales said he noticed the improvement after vendors were made to undergo pooled testing.

He said that vendors saw the need to comply with health protocols after they experienced being placed on quarantine while they waited for the release of their test results.  Those who were quarantined no longer want to experience the same.

Read: More Carbon vendors to undergo pooled swab testing

Of the first batch of 800 vendors, who were subjected to pooled testing, eight were found to have the virus.

The Emergency Operations Center conducted another round of testing on Thursday, Oct. 8, and tested 472 vendors. They already tested a total of 954 since pooled testing started on Oct. 5, and hopes to reach their target of 2,000 vendors during the next round of testing that is scheduled on Friday, Oct. 9.

Cabales said that they only needed to test one representative per stall.

Once the pooled testing is over, Cabales said that they will already be able to assure Cebuanos that Carbon market visits remain safe.

“We will continue to maintain strict implementation of the health protocols,” said Cabales. / dcb