Habal-habal drivers may help secure Sinulog

To ensure a peaceful and safe Sinulog celebration, the Cebu City Government plans to tap motorcycle-for-hire (habal-habal) drivers as additional force multipliers.

Should the drivers be amenable to City Hall’s proposal, they will be working together with volunteers, hundreds of vendors within the vicinity of Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño, and the Muslim community in helping authorities secure the 2018 Fiesta Señor activities.

Councilor Dave Tumulak, Sinulog executive committee chairman, said that the City will issue identification cards to the drivers to ensure their legitimacy.

“We need their assistance so that we can keep the celebration peaceful and safe,” he said.

Meanwhile, a total of 3,000 street vendors who wish to do business during the Sinulog feast day and grand parade have registered with the City Government.

Genevieve Alcoseba, Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) operations head, said that their office initially allocated only 2,000 slots for the vendors.

Despite the excess, Alcoseba said they will still cater to them.

“Our priority will be the vendors who are residents of Cebu City while the others will be assigned to the secondary routes. I think we will be able to cater everyone,” she said.

Roads outside the parade route from Osmeña Blvd. to downtown area have been designated by DWUP as vending areas.

She clarified that vendors will not be allowed to do business in the carousel route.

Alcoseba said that the vendors can do business on the opposite site of the parade route, particularly from Osmeña Blvd. to Luym Building.

The other 1,000 excess vendors, she said, will be designated to the other roads that will be closed by the Cebu City Transportation Office.

These includes the area around the Basilica and Junquera St., among others.

Alcoseba reminded the traders that they are not allowed to put up tents and folding beds on the sidewalk.

The City allows only small tables, small push carts and umbrellas, she added. /