OUTGOING Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia believes that the call from Carbon Public Market vendors for a new ordinance declaring the market a cultural heritage zone might be unnecessary. He said a city ordinance already designates the downtown area, including Carbon, as a protected heritage district.
“I think if we create another law or ordinance protecting Carbon, it is already double. It’s no longer a necessity because it’s superfluous, as it has already been done,” Garcia said in a virtual conference on Wednesday, June 11, 2025.
He expressed appreciation for the vendors’ sentiment. “But I am happy that they are thinking about heritage because that is our identity as Cebuanos.”
Garcia explained that the existing ordinance established a heritage district and a corresponding heritage district council, which has been meeting regularly. The council’s mandate is to protect the heritage district by laying down rules and regulations for its preservation and conservation, which will then be signed by the local chief executive.
The proposed heritage district will encompass a significant area, including the intersection of V. Rama Ave. and N. Bacalso Ave., proceeding to P. Del Rosario St., then to Imus St. and continuing to the intersection of General Maxilom Ave. and Tejero Creek until the Cebu Port Authority at Pier 6. From Pier 6, it will continue toward the shorelines of Barangay Sto. Niño and Quezon Blvd. It will also cover Abellana St. and the intersections of Gen. Gines St., R. Magsaysay St. and JM Basa St., before returning to the starting point at the V. Rama-N. Bacalso intersection.
Garcia’s remarks came after various vendors’ associations at the Carbon Public Market publicly urged the City Government to pass an ordinance specifically declaring the market a cultural heritage zone and safeguarding vendors’ rights. This proposal was raised during the All Vendors Forum on Thursday, June 12, held in time for the 127th Independence Day celebration.
The forum also amplified calls for a review of the existing Carbon market modernization contract, specifically the joint venture agreement (JVA) with Megawide Construction Corp. Mayor-elect Nestor Archival has been a vocal critic of the JVA, describing it as “one-sided and harmful to vendors.” Vendors at the forum recounted the market’s deep cultural and historical importance, tracing its origins to the early 1900s and sharing generational memories. They explained that the market got its name from the carbon deposits left by a nearby coal depot.
Vendors openly criticized the JVA, alleging it caused confusion in contract allocations, forced relocations, and the closure of stalls at Freedom Park, leading to displacement. Transparency issues in vendor listings were also raised, reportedly causing tension. A major point of contention is Megawide’s role in collections, with vendors fearing it could lead to high rentals and other charges, especially with the company’s alleged influence in amending the Market Code. They criticized the amended 2023 Market Code, which they said increased unimplemented fees that they fear will eventually be passed on to customers. / JPS