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[av_heading heading=’‘Cracker vendors fear dislocation ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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ILOILO City – Firecracker vendors oppose the Bureau of Fire Protection’s (BFP) proposal for a single zone – the circumferential road in Barangay San Jose, Arevalo district – where they can sell this holiday season.
In a letter to Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, the vendors, firecracker manufacturers and dealers expressed fear of being economically dislocated.
City Fire Marshal Jerry Candido indicated willingness to modify BFP’s proposal.
Aside from Barangay San Jose, an area in Barangay Tabucan, Mandurriao is now being considered, too, said Candido.
Mabilog recently said he was exploring ways to balance public safety and the economic welfare of the firecracker vendors.
“I understand the stand of the city mayor. Indi kita magpabulag-bulag sa kamatuoran nga pangabuhian man na,” said Candido.
According to firecracker vendors based in the City Proper and Jaro district, Barangay San Jose, Arevalo was too far from them and their prospective customers from northern and southern Iloilo province.
Candido said Muelle Loney Street adjacent to the Iloilo River in the City Proper and portions of the Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. Avenue (formerly Diversion Road) in Barangay Sambag, Jaro were initially considered as firecracker zones, too.
“But there were a lot of warehouses on Muelle Loney Street and spaces along the Diversion Road were limited,” said Candido.
But while BFP is amenable to add another firecracker zone to the initially identified circumferential road in Barangay San Jose, Arevalo, it is not about to back down on its proposal to ban the sale of firecrackers in public plazas.
“Our plazas should not be used for selling or retailing firecrackers kay delikado gid ina ya (because these are dangerous materials),” said Candido.
He recalled an incident at the public plaza of Jaro a few years back. Fire hit one firecracker stall and this spread to other stalls on New Year’s eve.
Candido said the circumferential road in Barangay San Jose was an open space far from residences and business establishments, thus very safe for firecracker selling.
For decades, the city government allowed firecracker vendors to sell in the public plazas of Arevalo, Molo, City Proper, La Paz, Jaro, and Mandurriao albeit with stringent safety requirements.
Firecracker vendors were required to have a pail of water and sand on standby to be used in case of fire.
They were also ordered to display “No Smoking” signs in their stalls./PN
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