Flower vendors ask city gov’t to award new stalls
FOLLOWING the transfer of the flower vendors at the Bacolod City public plaza to their new home yesterday, behind the Bacolod Arts and Youth Sports (Bays) Center, they are asking the city government to award to them their new stalls
The blessing and softopening of the new location were attended by Executive Assistant Ernie Pineda and Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) head Pacita Tero.
The stalls were constructed by the City Engineer’s Office (CEO) for the 18 flower vendors and it’s for free.
Glen Amar, president of Bacolod City Flower Vendors Association (BCFVA), said they are happy and thankful to the city government for helping them continue their business in the new site.
The BCFVA, composed of 18 flower vendors at the public plaza, is occupying the public plaza for almost 40 years, are giving donations to the Bacolod Diocese, which owns the portion of public plaza occupied by the vendors, at P50 per day.
Amar said they voluntarily removed their stalls Sunday night at the public plaza and transferred it to the new site.
“At first, we are hesitant to transfer because we do not have a clear position on the identified location, but now we are okay on this development and we are asking the city government if they could award these units to our members so we can process a business permit and a receipt from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR),” he said.
He added they helped to develop their new stalls and they are also asking the city officials if they could provide them a canopy to shade their flowers from the sun.
The City Council earlier approved a resolution requesting Mayor Evelio Leonardia through the City Legal Office-enforcement Team to implement the relocation of flower vendors.
The resolution, authored by Councilor Em Ang, stated that there is a need to relocate the flower vendors in order to allow the full implementation of the rehabilitation, improvement, and beautification of the public plaza pursuant to the plans designed by the CEO
Pineda, head of the market coordinating and monitoring task force, said the flower vendors are very cooperative and they are willing to secure for their water and power connections.
“We will help them address their concern to improve their situation in the area including a financial assistance,” he
said.
He added the flower vendors already informed their customers that they will transfer behind the Bays Center.
The DSSD will also assist the flower vendors through livelihood or financial assistance.
Tero said she will coordinate with Pineda to determine the legitimate occupants in the area.
“We will assist them so they can get a financial assistance amounting of P5,000,” she said.*