Vendors display their wares at the Night Market in Colon Street, Cebu City on this December 3 photo.
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The night market in Colon Street is one step closer to making an official comeback this year.
Racquel Arce, the Market Administration overseer, said that the Emergency Operations Center has approved on their level the contingency plan for the Night Bazaar or night market in Colon Street.
This has been endorsed to Mayor Michael Rama today, December 7, 2021, and will most likely be approved in the coming days.
As previously announced, only fully vaccinated vendors and their staff can join the night market.
“Kung pila sauna ang vendors, 50 percent nalang karon. Ning-identify na sad tag areas nga dili pabutangan mao na nga half gyod mawala. Every block naay entrance and exit para mocheck og temperature ug moprovide og alcohol,” said Arce.
Aside from that, the EOC and vendor groups agreed that the night market will employ a similar scheme with that of the cemeteries during the last Kalag-Kalag.
This means that a fixed number of people can enter the night market at a time, most likely around 400 to 500 only.
If the capacity is reached, people will not be allowed to enter until some of those already inside leave. Yet there will be no time limit for individuals getting inside the night market.
For stall attendants, only two fully vaccinated individuals can man each stall. Only two customers at a time will be able to stay in a stall as well.
If there are more than two customers, they will be asked to go to another stall in the meantime.
Food stalls will still be allowed to join and they will be placed strategically further away from the merchandise stalls to avoid crowding.
Food carts for fruits and street food, on the other hand, will be placed in between merchandise stalls so that they each will have a sufficient amount of space for customers who may want to buy their goods while shopping for merchandise.
Arce said that because of the directive of Mayor Rama on the curfew, the night market will observe such. This means the night market will open only from 6 p.m. to 12 midnight daily.
The vendors are scheduled for an EOC training on December 10, 2021, so they will know how to properly manage their stalls while enforcing the health protocols.
Awaiting the approval of Mayor Rama, Arce said the night market may begin on December 12 and will last until January 12, 2022.
If the night market operations are working without any trouble, they may be extended until Sinulog.
Mayor Rama said on Tuesday, December 7, 2021, that he will review the proposal immediately.
“Basta wa lay gubot, naay night market. Pero kung magkagubot, ipasirado nato,” he said. /rcg
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