Sunday, October 12, 2008 Vendors' alliance to monitor wares
THE Barangay Council of Ermita, Cebu City and vendors’ groups have pledged to monitor products sold at the Carbon Public Market, following the confiscation of expired grocery items and rotten meat in the area early this week.
The promise was made following last Friday’s meeting with City Market Administrator Raquel Arce, who warned she will recommend to the City Government the clearing of all sidewalks if the vendors do not police their own ranks.
Ermita Barangay Councilor Maria Pino-Buanghog, Cebu City United Vendors’ Association (CCUVA) president, said they assured Arce they will be more watchful of what members and all vendors sell in Carbon.
She said that while some knew about the grocery items being sold along Calderon and Manalili Sts., they did not know that the products had expired until Arce and her team raided the area Tuesday dawn.
“Nipasalig mi nga among bantayan. Giangkon namo nga wala gyud to mabantayi. Naa man sad gani’y nakapalit nga leader namo gikan ato nila, wa man sad hinoon maunsa (We admit that we weren’t able to police our own ranks even though we said we would. In fact, one of our colleagues bought one of the expired items but nothing happened),” Buanghog said.
She said they didn’t receive any complaints against the seven vendors caught selling the expired goods.
Because Carbon is under the jurisdiction of Ermita, she and the other barangay officials are concerned about the presence of expired goods in the public market.
“Dili lang ang sa pagkaon, apilon nato ang tanang gitinda sa Carbon…. Hasta sad mi na-shock nga naa diay ingon ana. Pero karon nga nahibaw-an na, bantayan na gyud na namo (Let’s check everything being sold here in Carbon… Now that we know the problem exists, we’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again),” she said.
The seizure of expired seasonings, salad dressings and various ingredients, along with stinking meat and hotdogs, and even baby diapers, around 3 a.m. last Tuesday raised concern for the health of those who may end up consuming or using them.
According to Arce’s initial information, the goods were gathered from various sources by persons from Paknaan, Mandaue, which means the items could also be sold in the neighboring city.
During the meeting last Friday, CCUVA officials told Arce that the seven vendors, who are from Mandaue City, have been hawking their wares in the area for eight years.
She has promised to refund the capital of the vendors who sold the expired products if they identify the source of their goods.
Not one, however, came to her office, which was why she asked police to look into the possibility of workers in various Mandaue factories passing expired, soiled and spoiled products to unscrupulous individuals. (RHM)
