THE ANCILLARY Services Unit will confiscate LPG products sold by street vendors on sidewalks.
ASU head Paul Bermejo said the measure will ensure that sidewalks are free from illegal vendors and safe for pedestrian use.
“We no longer confiscate their carts, due to the weight of these carts, but what the team does is to confiscate the LPG of these vendors,” Bermejo said during the iSpeak media forum on March 7.
The vendors are then advised to claim their confiscated LPG at the ASU office after signing an affidavit promising they won’t return to the area.
Bermejo reported that the waste from the street food vendors is one of the contributing factors to drainage clogging in certain areas in the city.
Profiles of these illegal vendors are registered in the office. However, there are no penalties imposed and self-regulation is advised.
He said confiscating the LPGs is one way to regulate the street vendors, citing as an example the case of a family at the entrance of Ateneo de Davao University fronting Roxas Avenue.
“This area is not allowed for vendors and we strictly ban them from selling as they are blocking the pedestrian lane, especially since there are a lot of students. However, they promise to clean the area, so we let them,” Bermejo said.
Bermejo said they are allowed to vend until 4 p.m. per the request of the food section of the Roxas Night Market.
So far, all confiscated LPGs have been returned to the vendors. Nevertheless, the ASU closely monitors the vendors to ensure they adhere to the city’s guidelines.
These illegal vendors are also subject to the clearing operations set by ASU for March 13 to 24 in certain areas in the city, especially the densely populated areas.
