Talisay vendors pin hopes on transfer to old market

TALISAY City Hall officials have a lot of work to do to make the old Tabunok market building suitable for re-occupation by vendors and stallholders.

The building lacks adequate water supply, and has a dilapidated roof and poor drainage.

Its toilets are unfit for use, said .Domincos Fernandez, one of 17 workers assigned to clear the public market. The market building's walls pose a threat to vendors and shoppers.

The new Lagtang market building a kilometer away has a better drainage system but vendors still prefer the old location near the national highway in attracting customers.

The clearing operation started last Apr. 30.

“Mag-unsa man nang safety, wa man ta'y makaon (What is safety, if we don't have anything to eat),” market vendor Eugene Abad said. He said customers who live nearby prefer to buy at the Carbon Public Market in Cebu City. Abad said vendors were forced to raise their prices to pay to recover their losses.

He said he hopes they can be transferred after the May 13 elections.

“Ang problema, nahatagan og pagtagad sa eleksyon na (The problem has been given attention due to the elections),” Abad said.

With the market a hot election issue, Rep. Eduardo Gullas of Cebu's 1st district pushed for the re-opening of the old Tabunok public market after consulting vendors in barangay Lagtang.

Gullas, who's running for mayor, earlier said the old market, which was vacated two years ago, needs repairs for its power and water supply and building structure.

He said he intends to convert the Lagtang public market into an extension of the Talisay City College (TCC). Correspondent Tweeny M. Malinao