Demolition team goes after ambulant vendors in Centro

Mandaue City’s demolition team yesterday started clearing sidewalks of ambulant vendors and makeshift stalls in barangay Centro near the old market.

The cleanup is part of preparations for the city’s “My Mandaue Program,” which aims to make the city center a showcase of culture, history and heritage.

The program will be launched next week with barangays Centro and Mantuyong as pilot areas.

Lawyer Jamaal Calipayan, executive secretary of the program, said the aim is to make Mandaue a premiere business destination in central Philippines with an environment-friendly community, which nurtures life through arts, culture and sports.

The program has a one-year deadline with a budget of P20 million.

Roads will be repaired and paved. Walls will be cleared of graffiti and vandalism. Drainage systems will be installed, said Calipayan.

Yesterday, the demolition team confiscated goods sold by at least 10 illegal vendors.

The 14-member team led by Joel Garbo chased the vendors, who resisted and fled with their goods.

Some of the team members had to engage in a tug-of-war with the goods of some vendors, who refused to give up their merchandise.

Rosalina Belgado, a fish vendors, said what was done to them was inhumane.

She said they were told to pay a P500 fine to get back their confiscated goods, which include vegetables, fruits and fish.

Giovanni Tianero, City Legal Office chief, said the demolition team acted in accordance with the law to implement the anti-sidewalk encroachment ordinance.

Tianero said he would also look into reports of alleged selling of lease rights by some stall owners in the new Mandaue City public market.

He said this was going on without City Hall’s consent.

The sale of lease rights of stalls in the new market would need the approval of the city government. Correspondent Fe Marie D. Dumaboc with a report from Correspondent