Group warned vs asking for stall fees

THE Cebu City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) cautioned the United Multi-Sectoral Coordination Council of Cebu City (UMC4) against collecting P12,000 reservation fee from stall owners for the Kasadya sa SRP (South Road Properties).

There’s no receipt issued for the fee, except one that is not officially from CTO.

UMC4 executive director Joni Chan said the group immediately stopped the collection of the reservation fee.

He said it was agreed among the vendors to collect fees to spend for the cumulative expenses inside the area at the SRP where the event will be held.

Kasadya sa SRP is a temporary amusement park with carnival rides and food stalls that operate from December until Cebu City’s founding anniversary celebration in February.

Starting Dec. 15, firecrackers will also be sold in the area.

“I called Joni Chan and told him there is no agreement for them to collect. I told him to return the money so I could issue the special permits,” said Cuevas.

Cuevas said she received at least three complaints from the vendors about the fee.

Chan said the money was supposed to pay for the electricity, food for performers and for the buses that would ferry the people from City Hall to SRP.

“So they are collecting without the authority of the City,” said Councilor Gerardo Carillo.

The Cebu City Council was on its last day of the budget hearing when the issue was raised and so they took the time to ask about the matter.

Councilor Margarita Osmeña, upon hearing of Chan’s name, asked if this was the same person implicated in a verbal complaint from Pepsi Cola Products Philippines Inc. for soliciting P98,000 intended for a canteen and souvenir shop at the Cebu City Zoo.

Some of the members of UMC4 did not know about the zoo project and the solicitation while the project never came into fruition. Chan eventually returned the money.

“The role of UMC4 is really monitoring,” said Chan of the Kasadya sa SRP, “We are like the Commission on Audit (COA) of the event.”

Executive session

Mayor Michael Rama said he does not want to meddle in the issue anymore since an executive session has been called on the matter.

“Let them appear,” said Rama, “Ang SRP mingaw kaayo (There was no activity in the SRP) years ago. Then came this activity and people want to go there.”

The Kasadya sa SRP is on its third year.

As for the implication of UMC4, Rama said public-private partnership has been a stronghold of his administration.

He encouraged all non-government organizations (NGOs) partnering with the City Government to police their own ranks.

Meanwhile, Councilor Noel Wenceslao questioned the propriety of a night market in Colon St.

“Can a local government unit close a national road?” asked Wenceslao of the nightly activity.

Rama asked why this was raised only now.

“This has been done years ago. I don’t think the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) would mind, as long as it is not disorderly, I don’t see a problem. Who asked anyway?” said Rama.

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