Talisay Vendors Divided?

The Lagtang Public Market vendors blamed the Talisay City government for allowing half of the vendors to transfer to the Tabunok Public Market, saying their sales would further go down.

A meat vendors, who refused to be named, said Mayor Johnny delos Reyes should have waited for the new building he promised to construct instead of re-opening the old market for the vendors. Delos Reyes had the old market building re-opened last week despite reports that it is in poor state.

For his part, Delos Reyes said he already had an agreement with the vendors, who are now selling in Tabunok, that he would not be blamed if the roof would fall down on them. He said he placed that clause in a memorandum of agreement he entered between the vendors’ representatives. Delos Reyes, who earlier said he would not transfer the vendors to the old market, had succumbed to the agreement following incessant request from the vendors.

But while the vendors in Tabunok don’t seem to mind the falling roofs and debris, some of them still fear that once the old building is torn down—which the city had promised to do within this year—they would still be displaced. On this particular fear, Delos Reyes said they will address the problem once they have concrete plans to start the project.