Isko Moreno assures Benguet veggie traders

MANILA, Philippines — Following his plan for a three-day closure of roads leading to Divisoria in preparation for the feast of the Santo Niño de Tondo on Sunday, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said that vegetable vendors would be allowed to sell in selected areas near the market.

In a meeting with Benguet Gov. Melchor Diclas on Wednesday, Domagoso said that there was no reason for vegetable traders and farmers from the province to worry because vendors could still sell on Santo Cristo, Carmen Planas, El Cano and a portion of Padre Rada streets (Tondo side).

However, they would be barred from Candelaria Street and the Tondo side of Recto Avenue and Ylaya Street.

Benguet traders and farmers had appealed to Domagoso to reconsider after he announced that roads leading to Divisoria market would be closed from Jan. 17 to 19 for the Santo Niño feast day.

Diclas said that around 30 trucks or 600 tons of perishable vegetables were transported to Manila per day.

With the road closures, over 1,500 tons of vegetables from Benguet province bound for Metro Manila and other markets would go to waste.

Domagoso said that the road closures were in preparation for the clearing and flushing of the streets for the Lakbayaw Festival. Thousand of devotees of the Santo Niño are expected to flock to Tondo on Jan. 19.