CAGAYAN de Oro City Administrator Teddy Sabuga-a said the City Hall welcomes the investigation on market contracts as a way to improve more the city's public markets.
Sabuga-a said it is high time now for the city to shed light on the controversial contracts entered into by the previous administration, leasing out most of the spaces in markets to foreign companies.
"Para mas makita gyud kung unsa ang hinungdan ana, kay sa una, nakita nga walay gusto mo-occupy sa taas, probably this is acceptable before, but now is this reason still valid? Labina karon daghan na ang tao gusto mo-renta," he said.
But Sabuga-a noted that some stall holders are still defiant, refusing to pay the rent. The foreign renters pay the rent religiously.
"Our markets have improved, we have put in place measures such as traffic scheme, set schedule for the vendors' display time, and even placed CCTVs to monitor the whole market vicinity," he added.
Last week, City Councilor Edgar Cabanlas called to revisit the market contracts, citing that these are onerous and disadvantageous to the interest of the city.
Cabanlas said vendors pay more than the amount paid by the foreign renters.
He said the two Chinese companies only pay P13.75 for a 7,000-square-meter area, equivalent to P91,000 per month, while ordinary vendors have to pay P8.75 per day in the same floor area, which is equal to more than P1 million worth of rent per month.