CH asks vendors to vacate empty lot

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

MORE than 60 street vendors occupying the open space adjacent to the Gotiaoco Bldg. on M.C. Briones St., fronting the executive building of the Cebu City Hall, received a notice to vacate yesterday.

City Market Administrator Raquel Bohol-Arce served the notice upon the order of City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete.

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Mayor Michael Rama had directed Poblete to secure the area because he was afraid the building’s tall fence might collapse after last week’s 6.9 magnitude earthquake, which struck Central Visayas.

The Office of the Building Official and the Department of Engineering and Public Works had declared the building as hazardous and in imminent danger of collapse.

Rama already instructed the four City Hall offices that occupy the structure to also vacate.

Poblete said the vendors, who are members of the Allied Vendors Association (AVA), want to remain in the area.

Not in harm’s way

AVA president Vicente Polo said they are safe where they are because it is an open space. He said the tall fence that surrounds the lot is made up of 14-inch-thick solid blocks and will not easily fall.

But the mayor is firm in his decision to cordon off the whole block to warn passersby of the risks. He also doesn’t want the City to get the blame if something bad happens.Poblete created a composite team yesterday to secure the area, which included members of the Squatters Prevention Encroachment and Elimination Division, City Traffic Operations and Management, and the City Market Authority.

The composite team started to cordon off the side of the building, which was built in 1914, to give the affected vendors time to move out.

Meanwhile, the City Government established a temporary command center at the Office of the Mayor.

The command center will monitor heavy downpours so it will be ready to respond to any emergency as a result.