8 wet markets in Balintawak operating without permits
Saying that blatant violations were committed, a Quezon City councilor has called for an investigation why eight wet markets in the Balintawak area were found to have operated without all the required permits.
In a strongly worded declaration, Second District Councilor Ranulfo Ludovica claimed that “it was hard to believe that no city hall personnel or police officer received grease money’’ to allow the unlawful operation of the eight wet markets.
“It is unbelievable that no grease money changed hands from this unlawful transaction,’’ Ludovica said.
The eight wet markets in question are Cloverleaf Market, MC Market, MGP, North Diversion Road Market, Pilson’s Market, Riverview 1, Riverview 2 and Juliana Wet and Dry Market.
Ludovica said that the eight markets all had the required barangay clearances but were operating without other requirements essential for their legal operations.
He particularly mentioned MC Market which failed to secure eight required permits after having only gotten a barangay clearance.
In the case of Cloverleaf Market, docu- ments obtained by Ludovica from the city’s Market Development and Administration Department (MDAD) revealed that it has acquired only a barangay clearance and fire safety inspection certificate (FSIC).
Both markets had no locational clearance, sanitary permit, Environment Protection and Waste Management Department (EPWMD) clearance, Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) certificate, environmental clearance certificate (ECC), discharge permit and Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) clearance with MC Market also have no FSCI.
The document stated that Cloverleaf Market and MC Market were exempted from the franchise requirement.
Isagani Versoza, chief of the city’s Office of the Building Official (OBO), has also pointed out that Cloverleaf Market was already a “condemnable’’ due to structural defects.
However, Versoza noted that Cloverleaf Market may just need major repairs to make it structurally sound again.
“If major repairs could not be done then we have no choice but to recommend the closure of Cloverleaf Market. Our team also discovered that MC Market would require minor repairs on its electrical system,’’ Versoza said.