CEBU City Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover Jr. has renewed his call for the immediate suspension of the Colon Night Market. In a privilege speech on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, he argued that the market is operating illegally because its permit, approved by the council, expired on Oct. 5, 2025.
The dispute centers on whether the night market has the authority to continue its business. The Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) had endorsed a special permit for a 30-day road closure, from Sept. 5 to Oct. 5, 2025, which the council approved. However, the market has continued to operate beyond that deadline, according to Alcover.
In an earlier interview, Mayor Nestor Archival had defended the market’s continuation, saying it was under a third-party arrangement. He explained that a private group pays the city P200,000 monthly to manage the event until December, a setup he said was authorized by his office and the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO).
THE DISPUTE: ‘ILLEGAL’ OR ‘IRREGULAR.’ Alcover and the city’s executive branch have conflicting views on the market’s status, raising questions of legality, procedure and transparency.
What the mayor argues: Archival frames the arrangement as beneficial to the city. He said the private organizer now shoulders the costs for electricity, garbage collection and security, which were previously paid for from the City’s budget. On the P6,000 stall fee collected from vendors, the mayor said any vendor with a complaint should bring it directly to his office.
What the critic warns about: Alcover lists several “serious discrepancies.” He claims the road closure, which was originally authorized from Osmeña Blvd. to Junquera St., has now extended without authorization all the way to Mabini St. He adds that the number of vendors is nearly 1,000 despite a permit for only 100, and that the event organizer, Ibrahim “Mark” Dianalan, and his group, the Participative Association of Sugbo Vendors Inc. are not accredited by the City. He also questioned why the reported P6,000 stall fees were turned over to a private organizer instead of the city treasury.
A question of language: The debate also touched on legal accuracy. Minority Floor Leader Sisinio Andales cautioned Alcover against using the word “illegal,” arguing that only courts can make such a determination and that “irregular” would be a more appropriate term. Alcover stood by his choice of word, saying it was based on his “own definition” that the operation violates the council-approved resolution.
WHAT WE DON’T KNOW YET. There is no clarity on whether the council was informed of or approved the new third-party arrangement that extended the market’s operation. The complete terms of the City’s agreement with the private organizer are not public. It is also unclear if the BPLO has verified the actual number of vendors or audited the fees they paid.
WHAT’S NEXT. Alcover has formally moved for the council to take several actions. He is asking Archival to suspend the night market’s operations, urging the CCTO to enforce the original traffic resolution, and requesting the BPLO to investigate the alleged permit violations. The response of the executive branch to these requests will determine the market’s immediate future. / CAV