ILOILO City — The city government has designated every Tuesday as a special market day for ambulant vendors at the Iloilo Terminal Market, offering a regulated selling opportunity for nearly 300 vendors who cannot be accommodated inside the market while protecting the interests of regular stallholders.
Local Economic Enterprise Office (LEEO) head Maricel Mabaquiao said the initiative aims to strike a balance between allowing ambulant vendors to earn a living and safeguarding the livelihood of legitimate market tenants who pay rent for their stalls.
“This is the win-win solution for our bolanteros who cannot be accommodated inside the market,” Mabaquiao said.
The system will adopt the concept of the “Huwebesan” arrangement implemented at the Jaro Big Market, where vendors are allowed to sell on a designated day.
Mabaquiao stressed that ambulant vendors cannot be allowed to sell daily because it would undermine vendors operating legally inside the public market.
“Indi puwede nga makabaligya adlaw-adlaw ang tanan nga bolantero bangod maapektuhan gid ang mga lehitimo nga market vendors nga ara sa sulod sang merkado,” she said.
The LEEO has listed around 300 ambulant vendors seeking to sell at the market, although the city admitted that not all can be accommodated within the market premises.
Mabaquiao said the first batch of applicants is currently under deliberation to ensure compliance with city requirements before being allowed to occupy designated spaces.
Among the requirements are residency in Iloilo City and voter registration in the city.
At the same time, Mabaquiao reiterated the city government’s “zero tolerance” policy against ambulant vendors illegally selling within the vicinity of the market.
She said the city continues to strictly enforce an ordinance prohibiting vendors from selling the same products within a 100‑meter radius of the “Super,” the wholesale section of the Iloilo Terminal Public Market.
“Ginapatuman lang naton ang ordinansa nga wala nagapahanugot nga magbaligya sang kapareho nga produkto sa sulod sang 100-meter radius halin sa Super,” she said.
Vendors who continue to sell in prohibited areas may face clearing operations by Task Force ASIS because they are considered both a nuisance and an obstruction to traffic.
“Makabig man sila nga nuisance kag obstruction sa dalan, amo nga ginapang-clear sila sang Task Force ASIS,” she said.
Mabaquiao explained that the Super area is intended only as a drop-off point where ambulant vendors can purchase goods, not as a place where they can conduct retail selling.
The LEEO, she added, is continuing to explore possible relocation areas for ambulant vendors while the Tuesday market day system is being implemented./PN
