KALIBO, Aklan – The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) here penned a Special Ordinance which allowed public market vendors to occupy half of the street’s lane.
In the Ordinance, the SP has allowed vendors – who were affected by the fire at the Kalibo Public Market last month – to momentarily use Toting Reyes Street here across the public market to sell their goods.
An estimated 35 million worth of properties went up in smoke after fire gutted around 276 stalls at the market on Sept. 15, which made the way for the declaration of the State of Calamity here.
Gov. Joeben Miraflores, however, said the Ordinance specifically allowed affected vendors to only occupy half of the street’s lane starting from Roxas Avenue Extension to F. Quimpo Street Extension which spreads to 220 meters.
He added the other half should still be used by motorists and pedestrians to minimize traffic congestion in the area especially during the Holiday season.
The same Ordinance also mandates the local government here to monitor the traffic situation in the said street and to implement measures to ensure safety, health and sanitation in the occupied stretch.
The SP declared that junctions along the area of the said street should not be used by vendors or should not be barricaded by them to avoid traffic congestion.
The use of the street to house the makeshift stalls will last for three months – the deadline given by the provincial government for the local government here to find a relocation site for the affected vendors.
Miraflores is set to release additional fund support to the affected vendors following the approval of the SP.(Radyo Todo/PN)
