THE City Government of Bacolod will not extend the permits of the vendors at the Bacolod public plaza.
This was stressed by Executive Assistant Ernie Pineda Friday, January 3, after the special permits of the vendors at the public plaza will expire on January 6.
“By January 6, the vendors should vacate the area,” Pineda said.
He said the vendors were only allowed to sell at the public plaza from December 3, 2019 to January 6, 2020.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia earlier issued an executive order (EO) establishing the “Paskwa sa Plaza” at the Bacolod public plaza for the duration of the Christmas season.
The city prioritized the displaced sidewalk vendors for the “Paskwa sa Plaza”.
Pineda said the City Legal Office-Enforcement Unit along with the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) is also monitoring the downtown area to arrest erring vendors.
“The city did not allow them (vendors) to return at the downtown area,” he said.
The displaced vendors were transferred to the Bacolod Vendors Plaza near the Manokan Country, but it has been observed that during the Christmas season, several vendors returned at the downtown area.
Pineda said this year, the city will fast track the improvement of the Vendors Plaza for the convenience of the displaced vendors.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia earlier urged the BCPO to arrest the erring sidewalk vendors who insisted to go back at the downtown area.
Leonardia said that after the demolition of the illegal structures at the downtown area, they have an arrangement with the BCPO that the latter will be in charge of arresting the violators.
“This is the DILG circular and the police is part of the DILG so the set up supposedly, by this time is it’s the job of the police to monitor them in the area,” he said.
Police Colonel Henry Binas, director of BCPO, also vowed that they will arrest the erring sidewalk vendors.
He said it’s part of their job to sustain the clearing operations at the downtown area.
He added the operations will be led by the station commanders including the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office and the Mobile Patrol Group to enforce the law.