Wilma Francis, with her young children, sits on what is left of her store in Lorega-San Miguel market after it was demolished yesterday. (CDN PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA)
Shanties in the marketplace fronting the Doña Pepang Cemetery were torn down yesterday by a City Hall demolition crew a day earlier than its original schedule.
“The island where the market place used to be was a smelly, dirty, and messy place. This is a huge achievement for the city government, to start clearing out the area and to soon beautify the city,” said Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.
The area they occupied was a center island between the Old Imus Road and MJ Cuenco.
When shanties were built within the cemetery, residents also set up the market as their means of livelihood.
At least 33 vendors used to sell vegetables and fruits and other goods in the now-demolished market.
A total of 28 were relocated to barangay Lorega-San Miguel’s satellite market.
Melody Dosdos, 39, who now sells vegetables in the new site, said the place is not yet ready, but they have to make do with what was given to them.
She said the place has no water or electric connection.
“We are not earning because our old customers no longer come here,” she said.
Acting market coordinator Arnel Quijano said that this is how it always begins with new market areas, but that the situation will soon “fix itself”.
Quijano assured that the five vendors who were not accommodated in the new market will get a space soon as this was promised by barangay Lorega-San Miguel captain Fitzgerald Herrera.
“The place can accommodate over 48 vendors so we still have space there,” said Herrera./Correspondent Juli Ann M. Sibi