MEMBERS of the Cebu Market Vendors Multi-Purpose Cooperative (Cemvedco) oppose the proposal of SM Supermarket to modernize the Carbon Public Market and turn it into a supermarket.
The proposal is to demolish the existing Unit I building where the meat and seafood are sold and the Unit III building where the fruit is sold, as well as the still unfinished Unit II and replace these with a three-story building.
The first floor will hold the stalls. Parking will be on the second floor, while the third floor will be reserved for the loading and unloading of goods.
At least, that’s what it says on paper.
But Cemvedco found a different scenario when its members visited the marketmall in Dasmariñas on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019.
When they entered, they were greeted by private establishments and the office of the management. There was no sign of the stalls because these were relegated to the basement.
“So when you enter the building, if you’re not aware that there is a market there, you will just think that it’s only a supermarket of SM,” said Erwin Gok-ong Sr., Cemvedco chairman.
What alarmed them the most was that SM Supermarket, presumably located on the ground floor, was selling the same products vendors downstairs were offering. And probably at a much lower price, although Gok-ong didn’t say.
For the thousands who flock to Carbon daily to buy their everyday needs, the idea of giving the area a facelift must be a welcome one.
Jostling for space with other shoppers while at the mercy of the elements, sidestepping unidentified objects on the ground and trying to avoid getting hit by vehicles are but some of the realities they have to face daily. But they endure all that because the goods on offer are cheaper compared to the stuff found in air-conditioned groceries. The city’s oldest and biggest public market also offers a wider variety of local products.
Cemvedco has had the chance to improve the Carbon experience for everyone. As local stakeholders, its members should not wait for an outsider like SM Supermarket to change things for the better. The group should take the initiative and prove to Cebuanos that the current setup deserves to be preserved.