Talisay Looks Out for Funds for New Market Bldg.

Pressured by its promise to transfer the vendors from Lagtang Public Market, the new administrators of the Talisay City government are now looking for sources of funds to build the three-story market building in Barangay Tabunok.

Mayor Johnny Delos Reyes had earlier assured that his Liberal Party friends in Manila could help him finance his project, but City Councilor Socrates Fernandez is quicker: he has calendared a proposal asking President Aquino and allied senators to grant them funds for the said building.

In his proposed resolution to be tackled Tuesday, Fernandez asked that Aquino and LP senators to set aside a portion of their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and the Office of the President’s funds to support the city’s market building.

It was Fernandez who ordered for the transfer of the vendors to the Lagtang market in 2011. This transfer was allegedly the reason why his party-mate and mayoralty bet Eduardo Gullas and his running mate Alan Bucao lost the election to Delos Reyes and Romeo Villarante.

Delos Reyes’ party, during the campaign, had used the alleged displacement of vendors as their battle cry issue. Both had assured that they would bring them back to Tabunok Public Market once they won the election. After winning, however, Delos Reyes said that for almost two years of not being used, the old market has to be replaced with a new building.

As of the moment, the vendors are still doing business in Lagtang Public Market, a multi-million-peso structure built by Gullas during his time as congressman. Asked what he would do with the said building once the transfer to Tabunok has been materialized, Delos Reyes said he has no idea yet.