Vendors kicked out of Philcoa sidewalk; councilor says move had Bistek’s blessing

Around 60 sidewalk vendors in the Philcoa area in Diliman, Quezon City, were removed by the local government on Friday to ease traffic flow.

Councilor Ranulfo Ludovica, chair of the City Council’s committee on public order and security, said the move was also in compliance with a 2002 resolution of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority allowing local governments to clear sidewalks and streets of illegal structures and obstructions.

Ludovica said the vendors were told on Saturday that they must vacate the sidewalk and yield the space back to pedestrians.

However, members of the Metro Manila Vendors Alliance questioned the action, claiming they had permits to be there and that Ludovica’s committee has no authority to evict them.

But Ludovica pointed out that the permits they got were temporary and revokable—and the committee’s decision had the blessing of Mayor Herbert Bautista.

Apart from clearing Philcoa, the city government has also removed obstructions, illegal jeepney terminals and stalls from the sidewalks along Edsa-Aurora Boulevard, Arayat, Pinatubo and Balintawak.