Estrada’s tents for Quiapo vendors irk ‘legit’ traders

Leaders of four barangays in Quiapo are asking the Manila City government to stop setting up tents that are intended to organize street vendors, citing complaints from longtime business owners in the area.

In a resolution, Chairpersons Joey Jamisola, Mariano Gopaco Jr., Reynaldo Moises and William Lising of Barangays 306, 307, 308 and 309, respectively, asked Mayor Joseph Estrada to suspend the operations of a task force implementing one of the mayor’s urban renewal projects.

“The legitimate business owners, like those of the department stores and those renting spaces in buildings, say the tents block the entrances to their businesses, affecting customers, employees and deliveries. Some owners also cry foul as the vendors sell products that they also sell, such as speakers, radios, wires, etc., while paying much less (for space) than what the business owners do,”  Jamisola said in an interview last week.

The village chiefs said the tents were built without their permission and the more established businessmen and other stakeholders in the area were also not consulted or given the opportunity to express their concerns about the project.

Jamisola maintained that the Local Government Code requires the city government to get a clearance from the barangay council before allowing any business activity to operate in the barangays.

But he said the barangay chairs were open to having a dialogue with the vendors to find a win-win solution.

Reached for comment, Estrada said he would look into the complaints, but stressed that “we are trying to fix Manila and put order in things. Before, people and vehicles can’t pass through the streets. Now, there is room for them to pass through.

“There will be resistance and complaints, and if these are legitimate, we will listen to them. The bottom line is we will implement what is best for the greater good,” he said.