[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=’ Public plazas’ ‘closure’ slammed ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=’18’ font_color=” color=”]
ILOILO City – Are the public plazas of Jaro and Mandurriao districts being closed again for income-generating activities?
This early stalls are again being constructed in these plazas, according to Councilor Joshua Alim, even if Mandurriao’s district fiesta is still a month away (November) while Jaro’s is on February 2018 yet.
Who authorized the construction of stalls?
The Office of the City Mayor annually gives authority to the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) of Jaro to organize the Jaro Agro-Industrial and Charity Fair at Jaro plaza. This is also true with the Mandurriao plaza.
The ABCs of Jaro and Mandurriao are the ones managing the closure and regulating – and earning from – the operation of various ukay-ukay stalls, carinderias, videoke bars, and fun rides doing business in the enclosed plazas.
In a privilege speech yesterday at the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP), Alim reminded colleagues of the resolution they unanimously passed disallowing the closure of public plazas.
“Ang mga plaza himuon naman nila bulogasan. Plazas are beyond the commerce of man,” stressed Alim, citing the Local Government Code which prohibits the closure of public plazas except for some occasions but that the closure must not be more than three days.
The SP unanimously approved a resolution yesterday calling on concerned city hall department heads and offices to convene and discuss the matter such as City Administrator Hernando Galvez, Public Safety and Transportation Management Office head Jeck Conlu, Task Force on Anti-Squatting and Illegal Structures chief Roberto Dumanil, City Engineer Roberto Divinagracia, and Social Services Unit head Zellah Gil.
“Once and for all, we have to decide. Every year bala indi nila pagsaradhan ang plaza?” asked Alim.
Councilor Plaridel Nava, meanwhile, criticized barangay captains who are mostly the ones moving for the public plazas’ closure for money-making ventures.
“Ano bala gusto ninyo matabo sa plaza? Patindog lang kamo dira negosyo pirmi nga wala kami kalibutan?” said Nava./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
