Cebu City seeks ‘balance’ between road clearing and vendors

CEBU CITY, Philippines —  The Cebu City government will seek to find a balance between complying with the road clearing mandate of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and ensuring the livelihood of the vendors in the city.

The DILG recently announced that the road clearing operations for all local government units (LGUs) must begin again on November 16, 2020, to continue the reclaiming of the roads. This means that more roads where vendors used to sell pre-pandemic may also be cleared, leaving less room for vendors to go back to.

Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella said the city government is concerned with the considerable number of vendors who would lose their livelihood if the city would simply comply with the DILG’s mandate without providing a relocation for the vendors.

This is why Labella has ordered the formation of an ad hoc committee led by Councilor David Tumulak and composed of vendor groups, government agencies, and other stakeholders, to formulate a strategy where roads can be cleared and vendors are properly relocated.

“We understand that many people suffered through the pandemic. Naglisod kay walay panginabuhian mao na (It has been difficult for people with no source of income, that is why) we need to strike a balance,” said Labella.

The formula would be to create as system where in certain sidewalk vendors will be allowed to put up small stalls but with respect to both health protocols for social distancing, as well as ensuring that they do not block either the sidewalk or the road.

The mayor hopes they can present this formula to the DILG before the 60-day deadline for the second round of road clearing will end so that this can be incorporated to the city’s evaluation of the road clearing operations.

/bmjo