Archival opposes transfer of Carbon Market fee collection to private developer

The Carbonhanong Alliance, composed of carbon vendors, staged a silent protest along MC. Briones Street Extension in Plaridel on February 5, 2026, calling for the removal of Megawide from Carbon Market amid concerns that stall rents would become too high. | via Juan Carlo de Vela

Archival blocks C2W’s market fee collection

Published on:

Feb 12, 2026, 6:53 am

CEBU City Mayor Nestor Archival on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, assured Carbon Public Market vendors he would oppose a proposal to transfer market fee collection to a private developer.

Speaking to vendors’ groups at the Cebu City Sports Institute, Archival rejected the plan by Cebu2World Development Inc. (C2W), a subsidiary of Megawide Construction Corp., to begin collecting fees by Feb. 15 or March 1.

“Akong isulti ninyo karon nga dili ko mosugot nga ila mo nga kolektahan, pero mangolekta gihapon mi ha (I am telling you now that I will not allow them to collect from you, but the City will continue its collection),” Archival told various vendors’ groups present at the meeting.

However, the 2022 supplemental joint venture agreement (JVA) between the City Government and Megawide Construction Corp. stipulates that Megawide “is expressingly entitled to collect and receive all revenues arising from the operation of the public market.”

JVA oversight missing

Archival explained that under the 2021 JVA, an oversight committee composed of both City Government and Megawide representatives must be formed before collection rights are transferred. To date, this committee has yet to be established.

The mayor has instructed the City Legal Office to review specific provisions of the JVA governing C2W’s rights. Currently, the Office of the City Treasurer collects “arkabala,” or daily tickets, and stall rentals.

According to Eliconjim Concha of the Office of the City Market, there are over 4,000 vendors in Carbon. Ambulant vendors pay a daily fee of P20, while stallholders are charged based on their square meter and classification.

Executive session

The mayor urged vendor leaders to present their grievances during the City Council’s executive session on March 17. He also expressed support for a Supreme Court petition filed by Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña, which seeks to nullify the JVA.

He noted that his opposition to the JVA dates back to 2021, when he warned as a city councilor that the deal could trigger higher commodity prices. “Ang ako conviction para sa mga vendors is still the same gihapon (My conviction for the vendors remains the same),” he said.

Developer and vendor reactions

C2W marketing manager Jynx Chanjueco clarified on Feb. 11 that the company would not move forward with fee collection without a formal directive from the City Government. The developer expects to complete the new main public market building by December 2026.

Erwin Goc-ong, president of the Cebu Market Vendors Multi-purpose Cooperative, welcomed the mayor’s stance but urged the City Council to revoke the agreement entirely.

Goc-ong proposed a “win-win” alternative: allowing Megawide to finish construction, after which the City would reimburse the costs and retain full management of the facility.

The P8-billion Carbon redevelopment project remains the most contentious public-private partnership in Cebu City. / EHP