The Interim Market at Unit II of Carbon Public Market. CDN Digital photo | Wenilyn B. Sabalo
CEBU CITY, Philippines—Members of the Cebu Market Vendors Multipurpose Cooperative (CEMVEDCO), who are based at the Carbon Public Market Complex, expressed worries and reservations over the proposed ordinance to amend some sections of the 2017 Cebu City Market Code.
CEMVEDCO chairman Erwin Gok-ong, in a position letter endorsed to the council on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, maintained that it would be unfair for the public market vendors if the proposed amending ordinance will only apply to and amend the provisions of the Cebu City Market Code of 2017 relative to the Cebu Carbon Public Market.
Gok-ong argued that it would not be fair if the revisions will only apply to the Carbon Public Market since that would mean that only the Carbon Public Market would be required to pay higher rent and product entrance fees, which would ultimately raise the price of the basic goods they offer.
Because of this, he said, there is a possibility that the suppliers of agriculture and aquatic products will be discouraged from supplying vendors at the Carbon Public Market due to the high entrance fees.
“Kon unsay balaud nga ipatuman sa Carbon Public Market, mao usab sa tanan. Dili nato usbon kining maong section sa ordinansa,” the CEMVEDCO said.
CEMVEDCO’s position letter is part of the ongoing public hearing for Councilor Renato Osmeña Jr.’s proposed ordinance entitled “An Ordinance Amending Subsections 4.2 of Section 4, 5.1 of Section 5, subsections 11.3, 11.4a, 11.5, 11.5b, 11.6, 11.10, 11.11, 11.12, and 11.13 OF Section 11, (Market Revenue Generation) and Subsection 12.4 of Section 12 of Ordinance No. 2486, otherwise known as The Cebu City Market Code of 2017.”
New rate of market fees
CEMVEDCO also questioned the proposed amending section, stating that “All fees collected from the Cebu Carbon Market shall be collected by C2W (the Cebu2World Development, Inc., a subsidiary of the Megawide which is behind the Carbon redevelopment project.)
“Unsa man g’yod ang merkado sa Carbon? Merkado publiko o dili? Tungod kay sa scope of application sa proposed amendment nag-ingon nga ‘relative to the Carbon Public Market, ug sa mga sunod nga sections, nag-ingon Cebu Carbon Market ug usahay Carbon Market ra?” Gok-ong said.
“Sa bala-ud pwede ba diay mokolekta si C2W og entrance fees, garbage fees, ug parking fees sa usa ka public market? Kon private market na ang Carbon ug moingon nga dili supak sa balaud ang ilang pagpangolekta, wala kami mahimo,” he added.
CEMVEDCO also questioned the proposed new rate of the market entrance fees.
According to the group, the present entrance fee for all types of fish, according to the City Ordinance 2514, is P20 per fish tank (banyera) or P.80 per kilo. If the proposed amendment is passed, it would be changed to the following: P175 per fish tank for second and third-class fishes, P900 for a big styro box or P9 per kilo.
This could ultimately affect the prices of fish sold at the public market.
“Kilo sa isda sa Taboan Public Market, Pardo Public Market, T.Padilla Public Market ug ubang publiko merkado ug Talipapa, mo presyo og P120 per kilo. Ang mahitabo sa Carbon Market P130 o kaha P135 ang kilo,” it said.
The Cebu City Council started tackling Osmeña’s proposed ordinance on the revision of the City Market Code last week.
The councilor then took note of the issues and concerns raised during the first public hearing, assuring that he would take those points in consideration.
The proposed revision of the City Market Code was introduced after the city government signed a joint venture agreement with C2W.
/bmjo
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