APALIT -- After overcoming opposition from vendors, the local government here together with its private partner finally commenced the construction of the new public market on Tuesday morning, February 5.
The new public market will rise in a 6,200 square-meter government-owned lot 50 meters away from MacArthur Highway in the town’s bustling commercial section in Barangay San Vicente.
Committee on Public Market Chairman Councilor Edmon “Tuks” Simon said that the new public facility will have at least a thousand clean and organized stalls, wide parking space and a security fence.
“We, in the local government, thoroughly planned the construction of our modern public market which aims to provide comfort and security for both vendors and buyers,” Simon said.
He added that the relocation of the public market is also expected to decongest heavy traffic at the Barangay San Vicente junction which intersects MacArthur Highway, Apalit-Macabebe-Masantol road and other municipal roads.
“Instead of limiting the development in the old site which is already decongested, the relocation of the public market will be able to widen the economic growth center of the town by introducing a new development area in the northern part of our municipality.
Organized Markets Division (OMD) Board of Director Marife Sigua, who represented the local government’s private partner, said that their organization will fund the construction of the soon-to-rise facility through a private-public partnership.
In return, the OMD will spearhead the management of the market before it will fully be turned-over to the local government after 25 years.
“We will ensure that the construction of the new market will be in order, and that its management will be suitable to the needs of both stall owners, vendors and buyers,” Sigua said.
Mayor Peter Nucom, who led the groundbreaking ceremony, said that the realization of the new public market project was a result of a “strong political will” the local chief executive and Simon council exercised during the proposal and planning stage.
“The issue of the public market whether relocation or increase of fees is never an easy job. We faced a lot of opposition and protest but we stood our ground to ensure that our dream of providing a new and modern public market to further develop our town will be realized,” he said.
He, meanwhile, assured stall owners in the current public market that they will not be ordered to move out until the new facility is available, and that they will be prioritized during the identification of stall spaces,” he said.
Apalit Public Vendors Association President Elvie Balboa, who earlier led her group in opposing the project, finally showed her support on behalf of her colleagues to the local government’s developmental project.
“We were glad that the local government sat down with us to address our concerns, and we are hopeful now that they will be true to their commitment to us,” she said.