ILOILO City – “Wala ‘ya anay gin-intindi kon ano ang impact sa amon nga mga vendors.”
This was the sentiment of 52-year-old balut and peanut vendor Mary Grace Pareja on the proposed ordinance of Councilor Johnny Young that seeks to restrict street food vending, especially ambulant vending, only from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m.
According to Pareja, they have been struggling with meager earnings due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic; limiting their vending time will worsen their situation.
The public’s buying habits before the pandemic and now are very different, he pointed out.
“Dapat gin-intindi ‘ya, lain ‘ya ang sang una, before pandemic, nga ang tawo galagaw asta alas-10, asta alas-12. Subong alas-otso pa lang sang gab-i laka-laka na ang mga tawo,” Pareja told Panay News.
Pareja is selling balut and peanuts along Ledesma Street in the City Proper. She is the one leading other vendors in the area. They have been appealing to Mayor Jerry Treñas to allow them to start vending as early as 3 p.m. to catch up with the potential customers.
“Gin-ayo na tani namon kay mayor nga kon pwede tagaan kami maski alas-tres makaplastar na kay tungod nga after 8 p.m. wala na gawa tawo. Mabaklan man kami bala,” she explained.
She added, “Ang ginalagas man bala da namon ang halin sa eskwelahan, halin sa opisina nga mga customers nga makabakal man sa amon. After sina mapuli naman na sila.”
Some vendors display their products during day time if establishments allowe them to sell and hang their items on their (establishments) walls.
Pareja usually starts vending from 5 p.m. and ends if there are no more customers.
“Kon damo tawo ma-sige alas-12 asta ala-una. Kon wala na, alas-10 pa lang himus na kami kay wala na tawo,” she lamented.
Meanwhile, Mae Salina, president of the group of vendors selling along JM Basa Street, refrained from commenting for the meantime.
This ready-to-wear seller said she will wait for the committee hearing to understand everything regarding the proposal of Young.
“Wala lang ‘guro nag-intindihanay. Ma-attend kami committee hearing kay dira na mabal-an kon ano gid ang buot ‘ya silingon. Amo man pag-react namon nga mga vendors kon ano gid,” she added.
Councilor Rudolph Jeffrey Ganzon who chairs the city council’s committee on trade, commerce and industry where Young’s proposed ordinance on limiting vending hours was referred to, opined that, among others, it will indeed have an impact on the vendors especially on their income.
“They sell in the morning, their kids go to school. Indi man na sila makabaligya sa gab-i kay ang kabataan ara na sa balay. Ti, sin-o mabantay? Sin-o matudlo sa ila lessons? Dapat intindihon ta gid tanan-tanan. Very sensitive,” said Ganzon.
He noted there were groups of vendors who went to his office to express opposition to the said proposal.
“Subuan sila, they are not very happy and supportive sa amo na and they want me to feel that they are strongly against it,” said Ganzon.
The committee hearing on the proposed ordinance is set on April 24. He vowed that among others, the vendors especially the ambulant ones will be given opportunity to be heard of their sentiments.
“Not necessarily ga-agree kita dayon, wala man ta gahambal nga ga-disagree kita. Our recommendations will come after the committee hearing. Ginapabalo ko lang sila nga ang ila ginabatyag, akon man nabatyagan,” he added.
Earlier, the city dad also opined there is a need to strengthen the “Clean As You Go” campaign among ambulant vendors.
He stressed this campaign must be instilled not only for customers or buyers but also to all vendors or sellers. He noted this has been implemented in malls, business process outsourcing companies, and other establishments in the city.
For his part, Treñas said he cannot support the proposed ordinances, including the one seeking to limit the street vending hours, as he was not even consulted.
“I have not been consulted on… I will wait for the time when I am consulted. In the meantime, I cannot support these proposals,” the city mayor said.
“In all ordinances presently pending with the city council where I have not been consulted, I cannot support the same in the meantime since I do not know what it entails or who will be affected,” he added./PN
