Mambaling farmers’ market operators apply for permits

The operators of a Farmers’ Market in Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City are applying for permits to sell fruits and vegetables at the Cebu City Treasurer’s Office (CTO).

“I met with one of the operators named Michael Vincent Labra and I said we will inspect the market but one of the staffers told me that they already applied for permits subject for validation,” City Treasurer Diwa Cuevas said.

She said an inspection team will still be sent to the market area to validate the application on Saturday, a day before the market’s launching to be attended by former Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña.

She also clarified that the operators and the farmers will not be required to pay arkabala or excise taxes since the farmers’ market is in a privately owned lot.

“The arkabala is for public-owned lot. What we will be collecting is a special permit that is 20 pesos per day plus 500 miscellaneous but the miscellaneous fee is only charged one time,” Cuevas said.

Osmeña said the launching of the farmers’ market next Sunday will be attended by Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III.

The event coincides with the former mayor’s 68th birthday while the inspection will be done on the same day of his wife Councilor Margot Osmeña’s 66th birthday.

Earlier Cebu City Market Administrator Raquel Arce said Osmeña  should get permits for the Farmers’ Market, a livelihood program for farmers from the city’s upland barangays.

But Osmeña  clarified that he didn’t spearhead the farmers’ market in Barangay Mambaling.

“It’s not operated by me but I believe they have permits,” he told Cebu Daily News.

Rama said while he isn’t against the farmers’ market, the operators should pay a corresponding fee to sell their produce to the public. “Even vending machine operators pay a fee to the city,” the mayor told reporters.