SINCE it began in 2014, the Roxas Night Market has become a regular destination for Dabawenyos and tourists looking for affordable meals, ukay-ukay, or a massage.
In the last five years we saw how the night market has contributed to the city's tourism and to the economy. It has provided a venue for some Dabawenyos to explore entrepreneurship and allow others to have jobs.
The Roxas Night Market has seen its fair share of ups and downs like the bombing in 2016 and multiple changes in terms of system and arrangements but people still flock here for a good time.
The market now faces another challenge -- how will it be able to cater to 3,000 vendors who want to sell here? These 3,000 vendors are competing for only 470 slots. One way the city government is doing to at least accommodate them as much as possible is by giving them a three-month shift. Therefore, every three months, there are new vendors in the area.
However, with only 470 slots, this is not enough to cater to them all.
It is high time for the city government to look for a new location for another night market where it will be able to cater to more vendors. The city could consider putting up one somewhere in the southern portion of the city like in Matina or Toril.
Another challenge it is facing now is that the City Health Office recently reported that some of the food vendors are not observing proper sanitation. This has been one of the concerns people have when they eat here. There are a number of unsanitary practices that have been observed and the list won't fit in this editorial.
Unsanitary practices can obviously cause harm to the public's health. Considering that hundreds come to the night market, there should definitely be stricter measures to ensure food safety. The city may benchmark good practices in Singapore and Thailand as to how they ensure the food safety of their vendors.
Dabawenyos love the Roxas Night Market. No doubt, it has made an impact on the city's tourism and economy. Therefore, there is a need for the city to implement measures that will ensure the welfare of the vendors and the public coming here.