BACOLOD City – The city government allowed about 21 vendors to continue occupying a portion of San Juan Street in Barangay 6 pending the completion of a multimillion-peso food terminal project.
Acting Mayor El Cid Familiaran said the vendors can do business at the Old Pala-Pala until the Negros First Food Terminal project is finished.
The project worth P115.5 million is under the provincial government. It was supposed to be completed end of September.
Familiaran said the project may be finished in December.
The vendors – who were earlier issued a notice to vacate the Old Pala-Pala before Sept. 30 – will be made to transfer at the food terminal once the construction is done, according to the provincial government.
Atty. Japhet Masculino, head of the Provincial Economic Enterprise Development Department, said the food terminal project is being done “phase by phase.”
He assured that business activities of the pala-pala vendors would not be “paralyzed” once the project is finished.
“We can assure the public, especially those occupying spaces in the pala-pala, that their means of livelihood will not be affected by the looming development,” Masculino stressed.
Based on the onsite development plan, at least 1 hectare of the food terminal will be for an enhanced “pala-pala eating area” where the vendors can do business.
It will be adjacent to the bagsakan of fish and organic products, Masculino added.
Function rooms will also be constructed on the terminal’s second floor./PN
