‘Extend deadline for move to Lagtang’

The Talisay city government was asked to extend the deadline for the transfer of Tabunok vendors to the new market in barangay Lagtang.

Representatives of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) who made a site inspection said they still have to check data on the building.

The DENR will review findings of its ocular inspection, said William Cuñado.

He said they will check if engineer Francis Philip Escalante who issued an Environmental Certificate Compliance for the market committed a violation.

Cuñado said he will release their findings before Aug. 23.

Engineer Daisy Toledo of DPWH said they are inspecting the area at the vendors’ request to determine the reckoning point of the building and check if the building is in good shape. Vendors have resisted moving to the new facility because of its distance from their current location.

Erwin Echavez of the Tabunok Public Market Vendors Association said they didn’t want to transfer because the new market “stands on a river and is dangerous for us.” He asked why the project was issued an ECC.

Vendors showed reporters a portion of the market that river water reached. They said they worry this will be the starting point of the building’s collapse.