Vendors hold protest vs policy to bar them from Luneta Park

MANILA, Philippines — A group of vendors gathered at the Luneta Park in Manila to protest a government order disallowing them to sell their wares in the area effective this Monday.

Joel Meralpes, spokesman of PEDHVA-KADAMAY, said the “zero vendors” policy deprived them of their right to livelihood, selling food and other wares at the park.

Most of the vendors have been at the Luneta Park for more than a decade, Meralpes said.

Meralpes said they used to pay P200 per day to stay in the area. A receipt is issued to them by the NPDC that serves as a permit to sell their goods, mostly food, to tourists.

But NPDC spokesman Kenneth Montegrande said that police may only allow vendors if they showed these permits. Only a few bring their permits or have been issued one.

He said the NPDC wanted to prevent the risk of poor sanitation of the food sold by illegal vendors.

Estrelita Laraya, administrative officer of National Parks Development Committee (NPDC), said vendors from both inside and outside the park were advised last December to stop selling their goods in accordance with the new policy that seeks to ensure a park that is not only clean but attractive to tourists as well.

The NPDC was enforcing the order issued by the Department of Tourism.

Those who participated in the protest included members of PEDVHA-KADAMAY, some of who do not sell in the park regularly.

PEDVHA-KADAMAY consists of an estimated 200 members.