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Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Ex-Pardo councilman carps over award for public market
Many may have welcomed the news naming the Pardo public market in Cebu City as one of the five model public markets in a nationwide government-initiated search for “Huwarang Palengke 2006.”
But a true-blue “Pardo-hanon” whose father was a one-term village chief in Pardo in the mid 1990s lamented that the public market has not been put to good use, as its upper floors have been converted into classrooms for high school students.
Stallholders have been deprived of using a space in the second or third floor that forced them to display their goods outside, dirtying the market’s immediate vicinity, said Ariel Araw-Araw, a former number one barangay councilman in Pardo.
“It defeats the original purpose of the building. Many have been deprived to use its facilities,” Araw-Araw, now Office of Building Official chief in Talisay City, told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday.
The Pardo market and four others—Agdao public market in Davao City, General Santos public market, Legazpi City public market and San Fernando public market in La Union - will get P500,000 cash award each from the Department of Agriculture, the search-initiator.
Disbelief
Among the criteria for these award-winning markets reportedly include the adherence to consumer protection law (25 percent), hygiene and sanitation (50 percent) and composite retail prices of commodities (25 percent).
While he was happy for the Pardo public market’s recent feat, Araw-Araw could not help but express disbelief of declaring it as a model facility when it’s actually doing dual purpose—a market-cum-school building.
“Is there a public market at the same time classroom for students?” he asked.
Araw-araw said the Pardo public market will never be an ideal place for learning because the students have to bear the daily noise of vendors and market goers alike, as well as the foul smell from the basement’s wet section.
The conversion of the upper floors into classrooms had drawn flak from Pardohanons, as it was reportedly hastily done without holding a series of public hearings from barangay residents and market stallholders.
Others questioned the conversion, as it runs counter to the city ordinance that prohibits establishments from selling liquor and intoxicating drinks within the 100-meter radius from any school or classroom.
Legacy
Araw-Araw considers the Pardo market a legacy of his late father, Pardo Barangay Captain Arcadio “Arc” Araw-Araw Sr., who worked hard just to realize the construction of a new market building for the Pardohanons.
The new public market was also supposed to free the narrow Pardo highway, a perennial bottleneck during rush hours, from sidewalk vendors.
The construction of the modern Pardo public market, which now stands on the site of the old market building and along the Pardo main road, was completed during Arcadio’s term of office (1994-1997).
Sun.Star Cebu also learned that the “mall-type” public market structure was designed by Ariel’s brother Arcadio “Achie” Jr., an architect.
With the recent achievement of the Pardo public market, Araw-Araw finds it proper, though, for the “displaced” market vendors to return to their respective stalls and allow the building to function as a “real” model public market in the country. (GC)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (June 21, 2006 issue)
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