Legaspi Vendors to Face Demolition

Seven stalls of vendors illegally occupying along Legazpi Street beside the Sto. Niño Barangay Hall are scheduled to be demolished by the City Hall’s clearing personnel because these are obstructing the passage of pedestrians and the passing vehicles.

“Dugay na namo nga giplano nga i-clear ang maong dapit sa Legazpi apan gi-hold lang namo kay basin og mapasanginlan ta nga nang-harass ilabi na nga ang kapitan diha alyado sa pikas partido,” said Raquel Arce, head of the Prevention Restoration Order Beautification and Enhancement (Probe).

Santo Niño Barangay Captain Pancho Ramirez is an ally of Cebu City South District Rep. Tomas R. Osmeña, the opponent of Reelected Mayor Michael Rama, during the May 13 elections.

Some tourist guides are complaining because their foreign visitors observed that the place beside the barangay hall is untidy due to the vendors’ shanties that were already encroached to the road.

If Arce’s announcement to clear the place will be pursued, the vendors that will be affected are Margarita Pugoy, Sheelamay Toledo, Angelina Diano, Filomena Balaba, Lita Ugsa, Paterno Manilag and Nerissa Balaba.

The concerned vendors are just asking that City Hall will provide them another place where they can continue their livelihood.

“Moangkon g’yud mi nga nilapas na kami sa boundary nga gitugot nga pabaligyaan kay miabot na mi sa karsada. Wala mi mahimo kung madayon g’yud ang clearing operation next week. Dili man mi mosupak basta para lang sa beautification,” the vendors said.

Legaspi Street, a one-way road going to Colon Street, has enough space that can accommodate four light vehicles to pass at one time, but the road width became narrow because the Barangay Hall used a portion of the road as parking area of the barangay’s fire truck, while the other side of the road is also used for pay parking.