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[av_heading heading=’Vendors ‘invade’ Jaro street; mayor slammed’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY CAROLYN JANE ABELLO
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January 16, 2018
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ILOILO City – There is traffic congestion at Jaro Plaza, particularly on the side where half of the four-lane Plaza Rizal Street is being occupied by vendors selling ready-to-wear clothes, among others.
Drivers and commuters stuck in traffic blamed the city government for the congestion.
Mayor Jose Espinosa III ordered the partial closure of Plaza Rizal Street to accommodate vendors barred from doing business inside Jaro Plaza in time for the Feb. 2 Jaro fiesta.
“As a mayor, give and take ka man. Indi ta sila pag pasudlon sa plaza mu. (Their doing business on Rizal Street is a) concession ta sa ila,” he explained.
October last year, Espinosa declared it as city government policy the ban on ukay-ukay stalls from all public plazas, citing flagrant violations of Republic Act 4653 (An Act to Safeguard the Health of the People and Maintain the Dignity of the Nation by Declaring it a National Policy to Prohibit the Commercial Importation of Textile Articles Commonly known as Used Clothing and Rags).”
The traffic congestion may likely be felt for nearly a month. In Executive Order No. 002-2018, Espinosa allowed the 2018 Jaro Agro-Industrial and Charity Fair to run from Jan. 8 to Feb. 8.
Iloilo City Loop Alliance of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association president Raymundo Parcon said the city government should not have allowed vendors to occupy Rizal Street.
“Indi na dapat butangan sang mga kiosks para lang sa negosyo. Ang dira nga dalan para na sa aton public utility jeepneys,” said Parcon.
According to Parcon, not only drivers were complaining but passengers, too.
Espinosa apologized for the inconvenience brought by the partial road closure and traffic congestion “but that is part of our (Jaro fiesta) celebration.”
A 22-year-old bank employee who asked not to be identified told Panay News many commuters like her feared the traffic congestion could result to their tardiness at work.
“Budlay magsakay,” she said.
According to City Administrator Hernando Galvez, the road closure has legal basis and cited the Local Government Code (Republic Act 7160).
Section 21 (c) of the Code reads: “Any national or local road, alley, park, or square may be temporarily closed during an actual emergency, or fiesta celebrations, public rallies, agricultural or industrial fairs, or an undertaking of public works and highways, telecommunications, and waterworks projects, the duration of which shall be specified by the local chief executive concerned in a written order: Provided, however, That no national or local road, alley, park, or square shall be temporarily closed for athletic, cultural, or civic activities not officially sponsored, recognized, or approved by the local government unit concerned.”
Espinosa himself addressed the matter but tersely. He was meeting the vendors halfway, he said.
According to Councilor Joshua Alim, Rizal Street is classified a national road as confirmed to him by the Department of Public Works and Highways.
In a statement, Alim was unclear if a Sangguniang Panlungsod ordinance is required for its closure. Espinosa, meanwhile, said there was no need for a city council resolution because the road closure was not total.
To ensure order on Rizal Street, the city government’s Public Safety and Traffic Management Office (PSTMO) has posted personnel in the area.
“Two lanes lang gin gamit didto so may bilin man nga duwa ka lanes,” said Jeck Conlu, PSTMO chief./PN
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