Megawide promises completion of Interim market by last quarter of the year

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Construction giant, Megawide Construction Corp., promises that the interim market where vendors affected with the modernization of the Carbon Market would be transferred will be finished before the end of the year.

Megawide Executive Director for Infrastructure, Louie Ferrer, said the completion is set for the last quarter of the year and the transfer of the vendors from the Warwicks Barracks and Freedom Park will follow shortly after.

The transfer is needed because Freedom Park and Warwicks Barracks will be turned into the new Modernized Carbon Market.

The company presented an update on the P5 billion modernization project of the largest public market in Cebu on June 15, 2021, with a detailed plan on Phase One of the project.

Phase One includes the interim market, Puso Village, Sto. Niño Park and Chapel, and the parking and transportation hub.

Currently, Megawide is processing the permits to go about the construction works for Phase One including the engineer works permit from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DEPW) and traffic clearance permit from the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO).

Lidwena Eco, operations director of Cebu to World (C2W), said they have conducted a survey of the Unit II Carbon Market to check the area prior the construction.

So far, the Unit II building is structurally sound, which means that there will be no need of demolition for the refurbishment.

There will be 570 vendors and unnumbered ambulant vendors who will be relocated into the interim market to occupy the interior and exterior stalls.

C2W has also drawn the plans for a traffic scheme surrounding the Carbon Market and will present the route to the CCTO soon for approval.

Since Phase One will include the transportation hub, Megawide is planning to maximize the 20-meter Quezon Boulevard to allow a shared road for e-trikes, carts, tartanillas, tricycles, and vehicles to ensure a good traffic flow for the interim market.

Upon completion of the parking area and bagsakan area, it can be expected that fewer vehicles will actually be going inside and out the Carbon roads to the interim market as the carts and e-bikes can carry goods and passengers from the parking lot to the interim market and vice versa.

Phase One traffic plan for the Carbon Market.

As for the drainage, Eco said Megawide will align the plan with the city’s drainage masterplan especially since the Carbon Market area is a basin for floodwater from Leon Kilat Street and other downtown areas.  Even now, a team is already studying the drainage system in the area.

“We will even fix the septic tank,” promised Ferrer.

Considering the needed permits, the start of construction should begin within the month and will be completed by the end of the year.   /rcg