News on Mandaluyong vendors - from Manila Bulletin

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M’luyong City vendors thank Mayor Gonzales

By MONICA T. MACARIOLA

December 17, 2004, 8:00am

Around 50 sidewalk vendors from Mandaluyong City, bearing placards, gathered in front of the city hall not to stage a protest rally but to thank Mayor Neptali Gonzales, II for the early Christmas gift: an area where they can sell their stuff.

Sidewalk vendors who used to sell their wares will now be given the opportunity to sell in designated places where they will not disturb the flow of pedestrians.

The sidewalk vendors, who belong to the 150-strong Mandaluyong Vendors Association (MVA) thanked the local chief executive for addressing their plight.

The city mayor assured his constituents that the relocation will benefit them and so do pedestrians and motorists.

Mayor Gonzales II said: "I am glad that my constituents appreciate my humble Christmas gift. The cooperation coming from them will help me restore order in vending along the Kalentong area. I assure that everyone will benefit from this endeavor, including the pedetrians who will be able to walk freely in the sidewalk without obstruction and the motorists who will enjoy better traffic flow with the absence of sidewalk vendors."

In view of the Christmas season when local government units extend "traditional" vendors holiday to vendors, Mayor Gonzales II declared the whole month of December as vendor’s holiday.

This month, vending will be allowed on Kalentong and Panaderos streets with the condition that only half of the sidewalks will be used for setting up their wares.

Also, a series of consultations were held among the city’s Task Force Anti-Sidewalk Ordinance, Task Force Anti-Vice and the market owners and the MVA, who are also under the Sanlakas-led Metro Manila Vendors Alliance for planning the informal vendor’s relocation.

By January 2005, the city government will implement an experimental relocation of the informal vendors on Kalentong and Panaderos streets in designated areas particularly near the business establishments of HBC, Wisely and EPC in New Panaderos Extension and Footstep, Merced Drug, Arellano and Amor in San Roque St.

Task Force Anti-Sidewalk chief Rannie De Leon said the agreed conditions of the plan are the strict monitoring of vending in the sidewalk for the entire month of January; the immediate apprehension of violators; a required daily payment from the vendors (the rate of which will be determined by the City Treasurer); a regular and sustained collection of garbage on Panaderos and Kalentong; and the designation of an official representative from the vendor’s group that will join the coordinating team in monitoring the daily vending activities.

De Leon said the city government will also construct stalls for the vendors and will repair the vending area (San Roque St) via an asphalt overlay.

An adhoc monitoring team composed of Task Force Ordinance, Task Force Anti-Vice, barangay Pag-asa and the Office of the Mayor will ensure the efficient implementation of the plan as well as its subsequent evaluation.