Vendors in GenSan oppose plan to privatize market

The local government of General Santos City has put on hold the construction of “mallengke” at the Central Public Market after vendors opposed the plan to privatize the public market.

During a consultation at the market, Mayor Lorelei Pacquiao has ordered the City Council to review the plan and take into consideration the complaints of the market vendors.

“Open man ta diba? Kung unsa ang makita na dili maayo, nga tan-aw nato nga na-agrabyado ang mga tao, dili nato ipadayon. Ipa-review nato ulit sa sanggunian kung unsa ang dapat ireview kay sila man ang nag-aprub ana,” Pacquiao said.

Vendors have called on the local government to oppose the plan after the P2.3 billion project proposal of a private company was approved.

Some of the vendors slammed the plan as the prices of goods may skyrocket once the public market is privatized.

“Sa ako, dili na pwede. Kung buhaton ni og mallengke, pirti nang mahala ning baligya diri, ang pobre dili na kaapas,” one of the vendors, Gilda Tale, said.

Other vendors said the problem in the market is cleanliness.

“Bisan kami dili musugot nga iprivatize ang palengke. Ang problema diri ang paglimpyo sa Palengke. Kailangan ang gobyerno naa silay sariling janitor kay dako kayo mi og tax kada tuig,” another vendor, Noneng Sabroso, added.

According to the Public Market Federation, the project did not undergo proper consultations and does not have complete data.

“Gapangayo mi og panahon, gapangayo mi og atensyon sa mayora nga kin inga proyekto nagdagan nga walay proper consultation, walay kumpletong datos ug ni-aprub ang sanggunian nga walay proper nga datos,” Atty. Pysche Fontanilla-Mamadra, legal counsel of the vendor’s association, said. —GMA Regional TV