Danao City Gov’t cancels selected Charter Day activities after huge market fire

Not less than 100 stalls were damaged by the fire that hit the Danao City Public Market on the evening, June 2, 2022. The Danao City Fire Office estimated the damage to property to have reached P52.2 million. | Photo courstesy of Danao City Gov’t

CEBU CITY, Philippines – This year’s Danao City Charter Day celebration will no longer be as festive as it used to be.

Danao City officials announced in a social media post on Saturday, June 4, their decision to cancel some of the Charter Day activities and instead spend its supposed allocation on the immediate relocation of vendors who were displaced by the fire on the evening of June 2, 2022 that affected stalls at the city public market.

“Tungod sa dakong sunog sa atong merkado kay i-bu-bo una sa pamunoan ang prayuridad sa panahon ug galastuhon aron mahan-ay ang temporary relocation ug makaabag sa apektadong vendors hasta sab sa suki’ng mamalitay,” read portions of the city government’s post.

Danao City in northern Cebu is set to celebrate its 61st Charter Day Anniversary on June 7.

The canceled activities for this year’s Charter Anniversary include the Danao City Sidlak Queen 2022, Sidlak Singing Idol 2022 and Sidlak Dance Idol 2022, and the Rakrakan Sidlakan.

The City, however, plans to push through with the Sidlak Services Caravan, Garbo sa Danao Awards, and Sidlak Blood Letting.

“Nangayo ang committee og pasensya ug pagsabot sa mga apil niining aktibidad ilabi na sa volunteer organizers ug katawhan nga nag-apong gayud sa mga kalingawan. Dili lang una karon Danawanon,” it added.

At least P52.2 million in properties were destroyed when a fire engulfed structures that were built on at least half of the Danao City Public Market compound in Barangay Poblacion.

READ:  P52.2M lost in Danao City Public Market fire

In a separate social media post, the City also announced that it already identified an area at its fish port that would be used as the temporary vending area for the displaced fish vendors.

Moreover, a portion of the Danao City abattoir will also be used as the temporary meat market.  Vendors will later on be relocated to the Motorpool compound that is located beside City Mall after the area would have been cleaned.

The other affected vendors will also be given their assigned vending areas after an ongoing inspection by personnel of the City Engineering and City General Services Office.

Corresponding traffic adjustments will also be implemented in areas that were already identified as temporary vending sites. Some nearby roads would be have to closed to prioritize vendors.  But this would only be done after they secure permission from the City Administrator.

And while all these preparations are still underway, the city government has set up help desks located at its Civic Center to attend to the concerns of all the displaced vendors.

/dcb