[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-desktop-hide=” av-medium-hide=” av-small-hide=” av-mini-hide=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=”]
[/av_textblock]
[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’No privatization of markets – Espinosa ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
ILOILO City – Mayor Jose Espinosa III is not keen on the privatization of the city’s public markets. He would rather have them run by market vendors’ cooperatives.
The city government has seven public markets – the Iloilo Central Market, Iloilo Terminal Market (Super), Jaro Big Market, Jaro Small Market, and public markets in the districts of La Paz, Mandurriao and Arevalo.
The Local Economic Enterprise Office (LEEO), as a revenue-generating arm of the city government, is overseeing the operation of the markets.
Espinosa’s predecessor, former mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, had proposed the redevelopment of the Iloilo Central Market. It included the rebuilding of the market and turning over its management to private hands. Vendors, however, protested. They feared rising rental fees and worse, dislocation.
“We have long been subsidizing the operation of the markets. If they could be run by market vendors’ cooperatives, maski arkila lang, the city government can already save millions of pesos,” said Espinosa.
Councilor Eduardo Peñaredondo, chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlungsod’s (SP) appropriations committee, claimed the LEEO was not generating enough revenues from the public markets and was in fact incurring deficits.
Espinosa said market vendors forming cooperatives to run the public markets is feasible. He encouraged them to explore such scheme.
The mayor, however, stressed the market vendors “should have people well-versed in the operation of cooperatives.’
“Kay kon indi maayo ang kooperatiba, it will die a natural death,” said Espinosa.
Peñaredondo said last month if the LEEO continued being unviable, it should just be abolished.
“This year it borrowed money from the city government’s General Fund to finance its operations. Its revenues are not enough for its expenditures,” said Peñaredondo.
LEEO’s revenues this year have so far reached P77.8 million but its expenses are way higher at P78,592,362.28, or a deficit of P792,360, according to the councilor.
“Kon sige-sige nga wala sila income, i-dissolve na lang sila,” said Peñaredondo.
LEEO chief Ariel Castañeda said the revenues could have been higher had the slaughterhouse’s boiler machine not bogged down in 2015.
The city’s slaughterhouse is in Barangay Tacas, Jaro district. The LEEO bought two new boiler machines for it worth P3.7 million last November 2016.
The boilers are where hogs are immersed in hot water for scalding before cleaning.
“But our public markets are performing very well. Their revenues increased by 20 percent this year,” said Castañeda.
The LEEO chief is hopeful that by 2018, the LEEO would have higher revenues./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
