THE AGDAO Public Market vendors are temporarily allowed to merge goods following their petition to the City Council.
During the Davao City Disaster Radio’s May 20 episode, market supervisor Gerardo Castillo said the decision would address the reported income loss by vendors and the marketgoers’ complaints about the inaccessibility of the stalls.
“Kung mopalit tag karne ug isa, naturally sunod pangitaon kay gulay, so karon the variety section in the second floor is now allowed to sell vegetables,” Castillo said.
To recall, Councilor Edgar Ibuyan passed a resolution on March 22 requesting the City Economic Enterprise (CEE) to allow the merging of goods temporarily.
Presently, the fish, pork chicken, and ice storage are located on the first floor of the new building while the dry goods, variety, or groceries section is on the second floor. The vegetable, fruit, rice section, and eatery are still in the old building.
He added that vendors from the variety section can sell their goods on the first floor from 5-8 a.m. and 3-8 p.m., provided they are recognized awardees.
Meanwhile, they can display for the whole day on Saturdays and Sundays.
This was due to the vendors’ concerns that only a few go to their stalls as the construction of the moving walkway is underway.
“Gisulayan namo na sa dry-run and maayo ang resulta, the business is doing good,” he added.
However, he said the set-up is still temporary and is subject to discussion during the operations of markets under the Davao City Market Committee Board.
He added that there is no certainty when the third phase of the building would be completed as the city has yet to look for the funds. Once completed, the vegetable, fruit, rice section, and eatery will be placed in the area.
Castillo added they are yet to conduct the study of establishing an official market sectioning to make it more economically viable for the leasing vendors.
Councilor Angelo Mahipus Jr. manifested during the March 22 session that CEE must review the possibility of permanently amending the specific section of the Revenue Code.
Under Art. 11, Sec. 340 of the 2017 Davao City Revenue Code, city public markets should be divided into various sections such as meat; dressed chicken; fish; vegetable and fruit; variety or groceries; rice, corn, and other cereals; food court/eatery; dry goods; cold storage; miscellaneous; and livestock.
This section further states no vendor shall be allowed to sell, display, or offer goods and services that are not included or among the goods authorized to be sold in the section where the stall belongs.
“Times are changing, naa na tay ka competition, lalo na sa grocery, tanan naa na didto, from wet market to variety, so we will be making a study for specific provisions that need to be amended,” he said.
