BACOLOD City – The city government here allocated P5-million to repair and rehabilitate market facilities where displaced sidewalk vendors can occupy.
Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran on Thursday said the amount was realigned from the building fund for the market repair.
“I signed the realignment for the fund, from buildings to markets,” Familiaran said.
He added the city government would spend for the repair of roofs, comfort rooms and lighting facilities of the Vendors Plaza at the reclamation area and the Libertad Market Annex in the southern part of the city.
Familiaran said Mayor Evelio Leonardia is keen on providing assistance to the affected sidewalk vendors, particularly those at the downtown and around the Central Market.
Last week, Leonardia said those affected would receive financial assistance of P5,000 each from the city government.
Some 400 vendors were moved from the downtown area to the market at the reclamation area but Leonardia asked for an official list to determine who could receive the financial assistance.
City administrator Juan Orola Jr. coordinated with the Department of Labor and Employment to identify which of the agency’s program can be availed of by affected sidewalk vendors.
In August, almost 170 vendors occupying Burgos and Daniel Ramos Streets have been removed and transferred inside the Burgos North Public Market while 95 fish vendors selling on Ballesteros Street in the downtown area have been moved to the Central Market.
Vendors at Libertad South Market, who occupied the Amelia-Mercedes Streets for many years, returned to their spaces at the Libertad Market Annex.
The clearing of public roads nationwide complies with the Department of the Interior and Local Government Memorandum Circular 2019-121 issued by Secretary Eduardo Año.(With a report from PNA/PN)
