LAST City Council session, the phrase “kawawa kaming mga roving vendors, wala kaming makain” has again been used to appeal to the setting up of the pasalubong booth in Burnham Park.
But let me show another side of that Kawawa kami that people are now using more often during this pandemic. There are always many sides to a story and “kawawa kami” is of many sides. At the first public hearing that I conducted upon the start of my term in July 2019 was with the roving vendors. On day one, they were lining up outside my office requesting special permits so they can sell in the market, in the central business district and the parks. At that time, I already decided that my office will not be used as the recommendatory or party in the signature of roving vendors ID, which was the practice of the past administration.
So that consultation was held with the departments and the city mayor in attendance. That resulted in a decision of Mayor Benjamin Magalong that “ no new special permit for roving vendors will be issued by his office. After the explanation and exchange of ideas, this was agreed upon by the departments and the vendors that “no new special permits will be issued as part of the implementation of the city ordinance that no roving vendors shall be allowed in the market, in the central business district and in the parks.” The Ordinance 001-2000 was a decade ago ordinance that finally gets implemented with regards to roving vendors. The legitimate business owners were able to lobby to have that provision in the past, but the past was not able to see its implementation.
And so the City Council deliberation on this implementation set up a question on “what will happen to these vendors?” that set us into thinking, as I was the committee involved in market.
This gave birth to an “Alternative Micro-Enterprise Project” signed by Mayor Benjamin Magalong and our Office. Though it was projected to be completed in three months, it took a year to be completed, blame it on government procurement and the resistance of the speculating participants. Malen Catajan actually talked of this in her August 9, 2019 article for 200 vendors. This project was signed during the conduct of the Executive Legislative Agenda setting.
In retrospect, we sent out notices to roving vendors and at least three were formed based on the time frame, the Sunflower Assn, the Everlasting Assn, and the Muslim Christian repair group. We were able to organize and register them with DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment). We facilitated training programs for them; business training from DTI (Department of Trade and Industry), undertook livelihood training with the office of Congressman Go. We even coordinated container gardening in partnership with DA (Department of Agriculture) and CVAO (City Veterinary and Agriculture Office ), which became handy during the pandemic.
During the pandemic, we were able to organize eight (8) more vendors association making a total of 11 groups. There were no more face-to-face training during the pandemic, but they were oriented and registered with DOLE.
Moreover, during the December Showcase of MSMEs in Session Road, some of the roving vendor organizations were able to sell their pasalubong, cooked food, fruits and vegetables, which provided income for them. We have included them as one of the priority groups to sell as this was something new for them.
Same thing, when DOT – DOLE came up with the cash aid before Christmas, our office has been facilitating the vendors organizations to access the funds being considered displaced. This was made available to them together with a lot of displaced workers which provided for some spending money during the year-end holidays.
The DOLE was able to give out equipment for the repair of payong and shoes for the Christian Muslim group, but until now, after the Mayor’s office and the City council’s resolution to award the stall for them, this has not been implemented by the City Treasurer and the City Market Superintendent Fernando Ragma Jr.
There seems to be a bureaucracy in the city market office or the market itself that makes things difficult for many vendors. They have certified 74 vacant stalls, but awarding temporary use of the three vacant stalls is a problem. The farmers cooperative was able to get a stall in Hanger market but the three vendor associations were not yet given the stalls they have requested. They will pay stall rental and process business permits, but as of this writing, the city market office has not yet acted on their behalf.
After all these efforts of the city government, the vendors continue to be “kawawa pa rin sila,” some sectors like the displaced workers, displaced overseas Filipino worker and others were not given such opportunities. Instead of counting blessings, people continue to be poor, they will continue to think they are needier and needs more attention than others. It is a matter of attitude. It is a matter of seeing a glass that is half empty or half full.
I have more to say on the matter, but this should suffice at the moment.