THE Participative Association of Sugbo Vendors Inc. (Pasvi) has been identified as the group managing the Cebu Night Market along Colon Street, amid questions from the City Council over its authority and the legality of its operations.
During an executive session on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, City Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover pressed city officials and Muslim leaders to explain who authorized the event.
He said the night market’s implementation skipped the required approval from the Garbo Asenso Sumbanan Alyansa sa Gugma (Gasa) Board, the special body tasked to regulate vendor operations.
Alcover earlier revealed that several Cebu City–based Muslim groups have expressed frustration that outside organizations, rather than local vendors, appear to dominate the operations.
Role of Gasa Board
The Gasa Board was established to create order in Cebu City’s vendor sector—resolving disputes, regulating fees, and ensuring that vendor programs are transparent and accountable. In previous years, Gasa was the only body authorized to regulate seasonal markets such as Colon’s night market.
City Administrator Albert Tan admitted that Mayor Nestor Archival has not yet convened the board, resulting in other offices stepping in to fill the gap. In response, the Office of the Mayor issued a resolution ordering the temporary closure of Colon Street.
Meanwhile, the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) and the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) took the lead in processing the necessary clearances and permits. Tan’s office also supported the event by deploying police officers and sanitation crews to ensure order and cleanliness.
Tan stressed, however, that his office was unaware of alleged P6,000 monthly stall fees being collected from vendors.
“What we did was support the resolution by deploying police and ensuring sanitation… But on the issue of Gasa, we can only recommend its convening to the mayor,” Tan said.
Pasvi’s involvement
The Office of Muslim Affairs and Indigenous Cultural Communities (Omaicc), led by Jeannat Aliih Cortes, said it only assisted Muslim vendors and certified applicants, but did not collect money or manage operations.
Instead, Cortes said, it was Pasvi that officially applied for and managed the night market.
“Pasvi is the one managing the night market. Omaicc only certified some applicants, particularly from the Muslim community,” she said.
Lawyer Abubakar Gunang of the National Commission on Filipino Muslims added that Pasvi, under convenor Ibrahim Mike Ginyalan, approached the mayor’s office seeking permission to run the market during the “ber” months, Christmas and Sinulog seasons.
They were instructed to secure barangay clearances from Pari-an, Kalubihan, and Santo Niño, in addition to the usual permits from BPLO and CCTO.
The night market is physically located within these barangays. Any activity that affects traffic, safety, sanitation, and peace and order within a barangay requires its clearance.
Revenue and fees
BPLO officer-in-charge Jared Limquiaco reported that the city collected P281,500 in special permit fees from 100 stalls.
He explained that these permits are temporary authorizations, not full business permits. They are comparable to short-term stall rentals inside shopping malls.
Limquiaco admitted, however, that BPLO does not normally handle night market permits. That responsibility lies with Gasa. But with Gasa dormant, his office stepped in to collect fees and issue temporary permits.
Alcover’s "black market" claim
Alcover said that while the resolution approved by the mayor’s office authorized the road closure, it did not automatically authorize a night market.
That authority, he argued, must come through Gasa and be endorsed to the City Council. Without that step, he said, the event has no legal basis.
“The road closure resolution only allows closure of Colon Street. It does not automatically authorize the conduct of a night market. That authority must pass through Gasa and be endorsed to the Council,” Alcover said.
He went further, describing the event as a “black market” because of its unregulated nature, lack of accountability, and alleged profiteering.
Implications for vendors and the city
The issue goes beyond just one night market. For Alcover, it’s about setting a dangerous precedent, allowing unaccredited groups to run large public events without proper oversight.
For vendors, it’s about fairness: whether fees are reasonable, who gets to participate, and whether their livelihoods are being exploited.
And for the city, it’s about accountability: ensuring revenues are properly collected, regulations are followed, and public spaces are managed responsibly.
Next steps
Alcover demanded that Pasvi submit a complete list of stall owners, including their addresses, contact numbers, and voter registration details, to verify whether they are legitimate beneficiaries.
For now, the Cebu Night Market continues to operate daily, attracting crowds of shoppers and tourists. But until the questions of who really runs it and who should regulate it are resolved, its future remains uncertain. (CAV)