Mati City mayor warns market stall owners vs sublease deals

DAVAO CITY—THE mayor of Mati City has warned market vendors against subleasing of stalls at the public market, saying it wanted to ensure that only city residents would stand to benefit from the local market project.

During the Mati Public Market Board meeting on June 17, Mayor Michelle Nakpil-rabat emphasized the prohibition of subleasing stalls in the market and of illegal fish vendors, warning she will file charges against violators.

The board discussed about filing lawsuit against stallholders who have subleased their stalls within the public market.

Rabat said the public market is owned by the local government and not by the stallholders and “the Mati Public Market stalls are only for Matinians and not for outsiders.”

She disclosed the case of a stallholder who subleased her stall and who approached her to seek reconsideration of the warning.

The mayor ordered City Administrator Al Aquino to issue a “warning case” against the unnamed stallholder.

During the board meeting, it was agreed that once caught, illegal fish vendors along the highway would be, likewise, warned and the fish they are selling confiscated.

The mayor said she would issue an executive order soon to form a team to monitor illegal fish vendors along Dahican, Magsaysay, and Chan Village to Bagsakan.

Meanwhile, health authorities in the city announced that its lone confirmed positive of coronavirus (Covid-19) had recovered as of Thursday after more than two weeks of quarantine.

“Thus, the City of Mati is again free from Covid-19 infection with four recovered in total since the pandemic started. We have one new suspect case today bringing to two the total PUIS [persons under investigation] for today,” the city information office said.