Transfer of Carbon Market vendors to interim market suspended for now

The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) will conduct a parallel investigation regarding the March 11, 2022 commotion between the Cebu City market personnel and the Carbon market vendors, who allegedly used kids as human shields during the incident. | screenshot of the video courtesy of Councilor Joel Garganera (file photo)

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The transfer of vendors from the Freedom Park and Warwick Barracks to the Carbon interim market has been suspended for now.

This was confirmed by Market Administrator, Racquel Arce, who said they are planning to continue talks with the vendors over the Carbon modernization project.

Arce said the resistance of some vendor groups is apparent, which is why they opted to forego the transfer during the elections.

For now, the transfer of the vendors has not yet been scheduled as the instruction of Mayor Michael Rama was to put order first in Quezon Boulevard before the vendors will be transferred to the interim market.

It can be remembered that the installation of yellow railings caused a commotion between the resisting vendors of Bagsakan in Unit II and the Market Operations Division (MOD) before the elections.

Only when order is maintained in Quezon Boulevard will the city once again encourage the vendors to transfer.

“Wala pa tay schedule kay lain man sad gud paminawn abi nidaog naman ang mayor, gamitun nato na nga posisyon nya dali-daliun sila,” said Arce.

The transfer of the vendors from Freedom Park and Warwick Barracks is essential so Megawide Construction Corp. can begin to construct the modern Carbon Market.

The city government signed a Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) in 2021 with Megawide for the multibillion project of developing the island’s largest public market.

The project became an integral debate of the May 9 elections as the opposition claimed it is tantamount to privatizing the market.

“Nakita man gud nato sa una nga medyo init kaayo sila sa politics. Wala nalang sa nato gipush ang issue. Bisan pa og ingon ta nga naa na nato ang momentum, wala ta motake advantage. Ato gyod silang storyaan, pasabton sa proyekto,” said Arce.

The administrator said Mayor Rama winning the elections will not become a reason to be aggressive in the transfer of vendors because the goal of the mayor is for the vendors to understand and accept the project.

For now, MOD is working with continuous dialogues with the vendors including implementing programs that would bring more shoppers to the interim market, thereby, encouraging the vendors to transfer there.

The Market-Market, a kind of night market on Quezon Boulevard, is conducted from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursdays to Sundays in hopes of bringing more people to the area.

Arce hopes vendors will see the opportunity to transfer to the interim market, themselves.  /rcg

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