BACOLOD City – The city government plans to increase rental fees for stalls in three major public markets.
The revision of the city’s market code is long overdue, and the updating of rental fees has been planned before the proposed establishment of new markets, according to Councilor Celia Flor.
“In January, the city will start the bidding process for the construction of the P525-million new Burgos Public Market, and the proposed increase is not related to the construction, but it is a need for the city to update the rates,” said the chair of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) committee on markets.
She explained that the present rates, ranging from P400 to P1,500 per stall, are no longer reasonable for the city.
“Indi man siling nga mag negosyo ang syudad kay indi man negosyante ang syudad, kundi daw break-even lang bala para ang operation naton indi man maperdi kag ma-sustain lang ang operation sang markets,” Flor added.
She further noted that a majority of vendors in all of the major public markets — Burgos, Central, and Libertad — have arrears with the city.
They are now obliged to pay after they have signed a compromise agreement at the City Treasurer’s Office that they will settle their standing accounts based on the scheduled date of payments on top of their monthly payment obligation.
She disclosed that about 90 percent of the stall occupants in the markets were not the original awardees./PN
