ILOILO City — Grievances from ambulant vendors following a controversial clearing operation have emerged as a critical test of the city government’s resolve. The tensions expose questions over governance, livelihood protection, and the city’s approach to enforcing order.
Ambulant vendors or bolanteros have raised concerns over loss of livelihood and lack of space following a commotion during a clearing operation along Fuentes Street on the night of April 10.
Christian Cajandab, a 21-year-old vendor from Cabatuan, Iloilo, claimed that enforcement teams did not issue any prior warning before confiscating their goods.
“When they arrived, they didn’t say anything or even warn us to pack up and leave. They immediately took our goods,” Cajandab said in Hiligaynon.
He added that they tried to explain their situation, pointing out that they were selling far from pedestrian traffic and were not causing obstruction.
“They insisted we were within the 100-meter limit from the terminal market and said we were an obstruction, but our goods were on the far sidewalk where there were no people passing anymore,” he said.
Cajandab said tensions escalated when he attempted to retrieve his products, which he bought on credit.
“I tried to get them back because we still haven’t paid our debts. If we don’t pay, we will be the ones blamed. But one of the clearing personnel threatened me, which led to a minor scuffle,” he alleged.
Among the items confiscated were radish and bottle gourd, which he said were vital to his daily income.
“This is our livelihood. We come here every night just to earn,” he said.
Another vendor, Cyril Labos, echoed the same plea for fair opportunities.
“We sell here every night because we bring products from our hometown to earn a living in the city,” Labos said in Hiligaynon.
“We are not competing with those at the terminal market because we sell at night when it is already closed. We are just asking for a small space where we can sell,” he added.
Labos also questioned the effectiveness of the city government’s “market day” scheme.
“They gave us only one day to sell in some markets. Can that sustain a family? What will we do with our products after that? They will just spoil,” he said.
“When we go there, there is no more space. That can also cause conflict because of competition,” he added.
The incident has since drawn broader attention, with critics and advocacy groups questioning whether the city’s current approach strikes the right balance between enforcing regulations and protecting the livelihoods of informal workers.
CALL FOR RULE OF LAW
Mayor Raisa Treñas, however, defended the city’s enforcement and called for discipline following the incident.
“We know it is difficult to earn a living, and we empathize with them,” she said. “However, this should not be a reason to violate the law or result in disorder and danger.”
She urged vendors to support the city’s Market Day program.
“The Market Day system is meant to ensure order, fairness, and equal opportunity, and to prevent disputes over vending spaces,” Treñas explained.
While the city is helping ambulant vendors earn, it is also protecting the businesses of those with established stalls inside redeveloped markets, she stressed.
“In Iloilo City, we will enforce the law firmly — but we will do so with fairness,” she added. “We have discipline, we have order, and we have compassion — but there are limits.”
Local Economic Enterprise Office (LEEO) head Maricel Mabaquiao, for her part, said confiscated goods can be reclaimed by vendors in accordance with city ordinances.
“There is a set rate under the ordinance, but we are considering the current situation. For now, they are not required to pay and can retrieve their items within one month,” Mabaquiao explained.
Unclaimed items, she added, are brought to a shelter facility.
As for the Market Day system, Mabaquiao said, “We provide them (ambulant vendors) with IDs and assigned numbers so they can be accommodated in different markets. There are designated areas where they can set up,” she said.
Mabaquiao also denied allegations that LEEO personnel took money or personal belongings from ambulant vendors during the operation along Fuentes Street.
At the same time, she said the office is looking into reports that some individuals may be inciting vendors to resist authorities.
“We cannot yet identify who is instigating them, but we noticed a change in behavior. There are also new vendors we do not recognize,” she said.
But the Panay Consumers Alliance (PCA) sharply criticized the city government’s stance, warning that the issue reflects deeper leadership concerns.
“The most recent statement of the Iloilo City Mayor is disappointing,” said Irma Espinosa, PCA convenor.
FAILED SOLUTION?
Samantha Faye Herbolario, also a PCA convenor, said the city government must address the vendors’ concerns.
“The city government must heed the demand of bolanteros for sufficient, guaranteed space and time to conduct their economic activities,” she said.
The PCA also questioned the implementation of the Market Day program, saying it fails to address the daily needs of vendors.
“Anhon nila ang isa ka adlaw nga pagbaligya kun pito ka adlaw sa kada semana nila dapat pakaunon ang ila pamilya?” the group said in a statement.
The organization scoffed at insinuations that the bolanteros were being manipulated.
“Kanubo na gid sang paglantaw sang city government sa bolanteros, nga kuno pwede madala sa sulsol,” said Espinosa.
According to PCA, the ambulant vendors’ attempt to sell their produce or goods amid threats of confiscation indicates that the one-day Market Day being packaged as solution to these vendors’ plight is not a solution that works.
It also pointed out that “madugay nga nag-coexist sang matawhay ang stallholders kag ang ambulant vendors” prior to the redevelopment of the downtown public markets.
As tensions persist, the dispute underscores a growing challenge for the city government — whether it can enforce order without pushing its most vulnerable workers further to the margins./PN
(caption – Cajandab)
AJ PALCULLO/PN
Christian Cajandab, 21, an ambulant vendor from Cabatuan, Iloilo, recounts how his goods were allegedly confiscated without prior warning during a clearing operation along Fuentes Street, stressing that the loss directly affects his ability to repay debts and sustain his livelihood.
(caption – Labos)
AJ PALCULLO/PN
Cyril Labos, an ambulant vendor and father of two, calls for fairer opportunities and adequate space for bolanteros, saying the current “Market Day” scheme is insufficient to support their families’ daily needs.
(caption- Mabaquiao)
AJ PALCULLO/PN
Local Economic Enterprise Office head Maricel Mabacquiao defends the Market Day system as a structured approach to regulating ambulant vendors in Iloilo City.
