ILOILO City – The Association of Stall Owners and Transient Vendors of Iloilo City Central Public Market, Inc. (ASTRAVEN-ICPMI) warned against a “total demolition, destruction (and) alteration” of the central market, one of the biggest in this city. The city government plans a P866.972-million redevelopment of the market.
In a letter of protest to the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP), the association described the city government plan as “ambitious and expensive.”
“We legitimate members and officers…strongly and formally register this formal protest and petition to prevent, stop the total demolition, destruction (and) alteration of the central market which is considered a Heritage Public Market and Structure,” read part of the letter signed by association president Rex Donasco and other officers.
The city government wanted to introduce the following to the Iloilo Central Market:
* restoration/renovation of the heritage building
* loading and unloading bays
* multi-level car park
* proper space planning and introduction of social spaces
* multi-use building
According to ASTRAVEN-ICPMI, the vendors were not consulted but more than this, it claimed the proposal was too radical and would result to the market losing its identity as a heritage structure.
The central market “must be respected as part of the legacy of this city for many more generations to come,” the group stressed.
It urged Mayor Jose Espinosa III to “respect the Heritage Law” and just introduce “necessary priority repairs, a modest and practical plan for alleviating the sorry state of the public market.”
The group emphasized the importance of “prior consultation” with stakeholders.
The ASTRAVEN-ICPMI letter was referred to the SP committee on public markets chaired by Councilor Mandrie Malabor for further study.
Councilor Plaride Nava, on the other hand, said the vendors appeared to be holding hostage the welfare of consumers.
He recalled that during the time of then mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, there was a proposal for the redevelopment of the central market through a public-private partnership at no cost to the city government. The vendors, however, opposed it.
“Sa no-cost (to the city government proposal) indi man sila. Here comes the new administration of Mayor Jose Espinosa III proposing a loan to finance the rehabilitation of the market, indi man sila. Ti maano kita? In the meantime, consumers are complaining about the sorry state of the central market,” said Nava.
City Administrator Hernando Galvez previously said the goal was to make the central market “attract more clients, including tourists, thereby generating more revenues and jobs.”
The city government identified several problems currently bugging the central market. These were the following:
* deteriorating heritage building, disorder, traffic congestion and illegal parking
* no water supply, insufficient lighting, poor sanitation and ventilation
* inadequate space for mobility
* deterioration of marketability and economy
* streets around the market used as public activity area (resulting to traffic congestion)
Galvez said the redevelopment could be done in phases so as to avoid a substantial displacement of vendors.
Phase 1 could be the restoration of the heritage building while Phase 2 could cover the access road and six-level car park.
Phase 3 may cover the main market area and a proposed two-storey multi-use building while Phase 4 would be for the envisioned Handumanan and park area.
Another phase could be for future expansion that may include five more levels at the multi-use building and three more levels to the car park, said Galvez.
The city government assured market vendors the central market won’t be privatized. Existing stall holders and transients would be displaced.
There would be increase in market fees, too./PN
