THE P200 collected from vendors at the Chibugan sa Kamagayan is for the operational and maintenance expenses of the food strip, the organizer assured on Friday, Aug. 16, 2024.

Maria Pino of the Cebu City United Vendors Association (CCUVA), in a phone interview with SunStar Cebu on Friday, clarified that the collection of P200 per vendor from the Chibugan sa Kamagayan at Barangay Kamagayan is not intended nor is it spent for any personal expenses.

She also debunked rumors that the collection is remitted to a particular City Hall official.

This was after some concerned individuals posted online, questioning the collection by the CCUVA, particularly Pino, of a daily P200 operational fee per vendor at the Chibugan.

Figures of the amount collected vary from day-to-day operations, particularly on the number of vendors participating per night, she added.

“Sa Lunes kay 40 plus na siya. Kanang Biyernes, Sabado ug Dominggo kay moabot siya og 60 plus walay labot sa mga dry goods (vendors),” Pino said.

She said CCUVA only collects P100 daily from dry goods vendors.

During heavy rains, Pino said they do not collect from vendors in consideration of low customer turnout.

The P200 is on top of the market and rental fees that vendors pay daily to personnel of the City Treasurer’s Office and the market administration.

According to Pino, personnel from the market administration collects a daily cash ticket that varies from as low as P30 to as high as P60, depending on the size of the stall. The money is then remitted to the city treasurer, she said.

Meanwhile, Pino encouraged participating vendors to secure business permits from the barangay to legitimize their business at the Chibugan.

Pino explained that the majority of the collected P200 is for payment of electrical bills, personnel honorarium and beautification purposes of the food strip.

She said that the amount was an agreed consensus with the participating vendors and vendor’s association.

She stressed that the Chibugan is not a City Hall activity, but rather it was the suggestion of the vendor’s association to sell food and beverages at the open lot, formerly a V-hire terminal, while the City Government has yet to utilize it.

Pino said that it was Mayor Michael Rama who asked them to set up a food strip at the 7,000-square-meter lot, as the V-hire terminal was closed due to lack of permit.

She admitted that CCUVA and the City Government do not have a formal agreement on the endeavor.

However, she clarified that the vendor’s association pays the electrical bills and other maintenance expenses of the food strip, not the City Government.

“Sa first months of the operation, kami sa CCUVA ang nag-abaga sa gastoon... Naka-bawi bawi na pag-abot sa night market kay daghan na ang naninda,” Pino said.

(During the first months of the operation, we at CCUVA took care of the operations… We were able to recover with the operation of the night market because the number of vendors has increased.)

The collection also pays for the services of an electrician, who monitors the safety of all electrical connection outlets utilized at the food strip, at P1,500 per day.

“Kinsa diay mobayad (sa kuryente)? Mobayad diay ang Syudad sa namo? Ang billing namo sa suga diha kay moabot gud na og P60,000, usahay P80,000. Depende pa gani,” she added.

(Who will pay the electricity? The City won’t pay it. The electricity bill at the food strip reaches P60,000 per month, sometimes P80,000. It depends.)

For the July-August billing, Pino said that electricity bill for the food strip was over P100,000.

She said the collection also pays for the food and expenses of their support staff and committee, as well as the food they provide to force multipliers such as barangay tanod, traffic enforcers and uniformed personnel deployed to maintain peace and order in the area.

Pino assured that expenses and liquidation of all fees collected from the vendors are documented.

“Akong klarohon nga ang among kahimtang diha kay dili sama sa mga foodpark. Amo kahimtang diha kay pinobre,” Pino said.

(I will clarify our situation there because it is not the same as the food parks. Our situation in Kamagayan is for the masses.)

Based on the given number of vendors at the food strip multiply by P200 per vendor times 30 days, the CCUVA collects an average of P8,000 to P12,000 per day, or P240,000 to P360,000 per month.

On Nov. 29, 2023, the City Council, in an executive session, also inquired about a similar situation at the Cebu City Night Market, where CCUVA and Pino also collected P200 from participating vendors.

Pino had clarified to the councilors that the collections were to cover operating expenses of the night market and are not for personal gain. / EHP

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