New Mandaue City market good for 1,200 stalls only

Of the 1,600 vendors who registered, the Mandaue City government can only accommodate about 1,200 stall owners in the new city public market which is expected to be finished in the last week of May.

Mayor Gabriel Luis Quisumbing said that based on the design of the market the capacity is only fit for 960 vendors, but if they maximize the space they should be able to accommodate 1,200.

"Through some reorganization, we were able to maximize some of its space and we're able to make a room for 1,200. If beyond 1,200, dili na kaya," he said.

The city is still looking for ways to address the problems of the estimated 400 vendors who will be displaced.

He added that the city will look through the leasing rights of these vendors to determine who among them can be housed inside the new market. Vendors who are active in paying their taxes will be accommodated, said Quisumbing.

"So, we're looking at things, like looking at the leasing rights if they were able to keep up," he said.

The new city public market, which is around P385 million, sits behind the National Shrine of St. Joseph near a mall. Its construction started in 2016 but was delayed due to issues regarding its foundation; the soil under it was found to be soft and not strong enough to hold its base.

"The contractors have committed to finish it around late May. We anticipate that the market should be operational by mid-June or end of June," Quisumbing said.

Meanwhile, city treasurer Regal Oliva noted that around 40 percent of the stall owners are not active in paying their taxes.

"Yes, it's true. There are many vendors who have not complied with the lease rights," he said.

As of now, City Treasurer's Office has collected about P19 million from taxes.

"There is a lease right of about P14 million nga collectible, dako-dako g'yud siya," Oliva noted.

Oliva added that there are also delinquent payers who pay late or who paid just this year. He warned that they should not continue this habit.

"There are also delinquent stall owners who have not been paying and who are just paying this year, so warning to them na kung mobayad lang sila this year, that will be a notice to us that you are only paying to us because there is a new market," Oliva added.

He said those who diligently pay their taxes should be given a rightful spot inside the new public market and those who don't should give way for them. He even advised them to close their business as they seem to take it for granted.

Christell Fatima M. Tudtud/BRP