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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Luzon devider Benitez open to reconsidering public market renovation

Benitez open to reconsidering public market renovation

Published Jun 22, 2024 09:56 am

BACOLOD CITY – Mayor Albee Benitez said that he is open to reconsidering the renovation of the Burgos Public Market here if groups of vendors and consumers can prove that majority of them are in favor of the project.

BACOLOD PUBLIC MARKET.jpeg

VENDORS of the Burgos Public Market in Bacolod City attend a dialogue with Mayor Albee Benitez last month regarding the city’s proposed P525-million market renovation. (Photo courtesy of Mayor Albee Benitez Facebook)

This development came following the reported signature campaign or petition of some groups of vendors and consumers expressing their interest on the project.

“They should hurry while I’m still here,” Benitez said in a recent media interview.

However, some vendors at the Burgos Public Market reiterated their opposition and urged the mayor to listen to their sentiments.

In a press briefing, Carmelo Lacson Jr., vice president of the Burgos Market Vendors’ Association, said that of the 343 actual occupants in the market, only 15 supported the rehabilitation project, while 328 voted against it.

“This is not a joke,” Lacson said, stressing that the numbers that they have were based from the actual list of occupants who opposed the project.

Lacson said that this is their own initiative, as they speak based on their individual and group’s experiences, and there’s no political motivation behind their decision.

He said that consumers will not be directly affected by the renovation because they always have the option to choose which market they will buy their commodities from, unlike vendors who have the first-hand experience of the situation there, he added.

Vendors said that they are not ready for the renovation because the market already underwent rehabilitation under the previous administration.

They said that they only wanted a repair of the market, not a total renovation.

Benitez had earlier announced the cancellation of the project after majority of the vendors opposed it due to livelihood concerns.

The city has allocated P525 million for the project, but because of their opposition, Benitez said that funds could be used for other projects.

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Renovation Bacolod City Public market Mayor Albee Benitez
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