Bing signs repealed ‘sidewalk vendors’ ordinance

BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio Leonardia already approved the repealed City Ordinance (CO) 183, Series of 1980, to transfer all the sidewalk vendors at the Central Public Market and Masamart in Bonifacio Street to Bacolod Vendors Plaza.

Leonardia said yesterday he signed the repealed ordinance on Thursday afternoon and it will undergo in some process like the publication so they can implement the transfer of the sidewalk vendors in said areas.

“I signed it immediately because I know the City Council studied it very well which they approved it unanimously,” he said.

Last week, the City Council repealed the CO 183 Series of 1980, or an Ordinance providing for the disposition of kiosks and stalls constructed around the Central Public Market, Bacolod City was proposed by Councilor Bartolome Orola Sr.

Leonardia said the affected vendors will be given due notice to transfer them to the Vendors Plaza.

“Since the ordinance was already approved, we will give them due notice because that was the result of the series of discussions regarding the demolition of illegal structures,” he said.

He added the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) directive stated that aside from conducting road clearing operations, local governments must enact or revisit ordinances related to road clearing and banning of illegal structures.

Last week, about 380 sidewalk vendors at the downtown area already transferred to the Vendors Plaza and all of them were given a space inside the Vendors Plaza.

They are from the areas of Araneta Street, Gonzaga, Gatuslao, Luzuriaga, Bonifacio, and Ballesteros streets.

The removal of vendors from sidewalks was done in compliance with President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to rid public streets of obstructions to facilitate the orderly use of thoroughfare.