CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Council will be seeking amendments for the Carbon Market Supplemental Memorandum of Agreement (MOA).
Councilor Raymond Garcia, the majority floor leader, told CDN Digital that amendments will definitely be proposed because the public hearing on March 30, 2022, gave additional input for Council members to ponder upon.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has proposed a supplemental MOA to cure the deficiencies of the joint venture agreement (JVA) between the Cebu City government and Megawide Construction Corp. over the Carbon Market modernization project.
Garcia said that the Carbon Market vendors and groups were able to raise their concerns during the public hearing including their worries that some vendors may not be accommodated in the new Carbon Market.
The market vendor leaders were concerned that even with the supplemental MOA stipulating that all vendors will be accommodated, this may still be not enough.
This is why the City Council will be proposing that under the new MOA, a committee will be formed to ensure that all vendors who are currently registered to sell at the Carbon Market, stall or ambulant, will be ensured a spot in the new market.
Councilors wants a complete list of the vendors in the Carbon Market from Market Authority and they also want the plan for the new Carbon Market to include the stall allocations.
The suggestions will be included in the committee report that Garcia will be presenting on April 6, 2022, before the Council again as they decide the fate of the supplemental MOA.
“Many of the councilors were able to give very good input for the Supplemental MOA so definitely we will ask for changes. Anyway, the MOA is already advantageous to the city, we just want it to be even more advantageous,” said Garcia.
The councilor assured the vendors that the Supplemental MOA will be passed within the remaining months of the term of the 15th Sangguniang Panglusod.
He said he is aware that the vendors are worried that when a Council takes over on July 2022, their woes and concerns will not be heard and their struggle goes back to square one.
“We have enough time before the term ends. We will be presenting the committee report, ask for amendments, then we will pass the supplemental MOA. It will definitely be passed because, unsa pamay ilangan?” said the councilor.
During his Monday press conference, Mayor Rama said that if the Council finds the need for amendment or addendums to the supplemental MOA, he will respect their decision.
After all, the Council represents the city residents, and he has the obligation to listen to their concerns.
“I will look at it, but still I will be objective and balanced on what I believe is good for that corridor,” he said.
/bmjo
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