Tabunok vendors vow to hold daily rallies to protest move

While waiting for the court decision of the preliminary injunction they filed against the Talisay City government, vendors of Tabunok public market will hold daily rallies outside the market to protest their transfer to the new market in barangay Lagtang.

Paul Labalan, public information officer (PIO) of Tabunok Public Market Vendors Association (TPMVA), said the rallies would continue until June 28 when the city government would transfer the Tabunok public market to the new public market in Lagtang.

Labalan said they opposed the transfer because the new market was not accessible. They said it would be risky for them because it was near a river.

“Dilikado jud mi diha sa bag-ong merkado nga ilang gitukod kay duol kaayo na sa sapa, ug unya mutaub, asa naman lang mi puniton. Gani kaning nahimutangan sa fish section nakalapas ni sa balaud sa DENR (It would be dangerous for us at the new market because it is near a river and when it would be high tide where would they pick us. The fish section is even illegal because it had violated the laws of the DENR),” Labalan said.

He claimed that the Talisay City government violated the laws of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) when they built the market because they were not aware of the appropriate distance on where to build the market from the river.

However, the Talisay City government earlier said they had all the papers before they built the market.

Sherwin Echavez, representative of the dry goods section, also complained that the new market area for them was small compared to the area at the Tabunok public market.

Echavez also complained about the location of the new market, which was far from the national highway.

Ritchel Bacaltos, city administrator of Talisay City, declined to comment on the allegations because he said the case about the market transfer was already in court.

He said they will just wait for the court decision.