City’s market division collects P20.9M in May

DESPITE reduced budget of only P39.5 million, the Market Operations Division (MOD) of the Cebu City Hall still managed to collect P20.9 million as of May 2013.

In year 2012 where they operated with an appropriation of P41.7 million, MOD collected a total of P50 million, said Arnel Quijano, market supervisor III.

Raquel Arce, city market administrator, is confident that her office will be able to raise P50 million this year or even more with their aggressiveness in pursuing the renewal of market stall rental in the city’s 11 public markets.

Arce said they will also be working in close coordination with the City Treasurers Office (CTO) for the issuance of demand letters to vendors with unpaid market dues.

The 1993 Market Code impose rental of P2 per day per sq. meter of leased market space.

Except for a food stall owner operating across the Ramos Public Market, most of the other vendors have so far been compliant in paying their dues with the city, said Arce.

“We are now in the renewal of contracts.  if they have delinquencies, no renewal if they still have dues to pay” she said during a media briefing held at the mayor’s conference room yesterday.

As a long term plan, Arce said, they are now looking into reviving a proposal which they submitted to the city council about two years ago to already increase market stall leases to double the existing P2 per sq. meter rate or event more.

However, she said, that the new rate will vary depending on how well a city-run market is visited by customers./Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac