Lydwena Eco, deputy general manager of Cebu2World Development Inc. (C2W), said during the Panaghisgot Forum of the Cebu City Public Information Office Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023, that the construction of the new and modern Carbon Public Market is expected to roll out soon.
Eco also mentioned that their company is aiming to be the heart and serve as a model of Mayor Michael Rama’s Singapore-like vision for Cebu City.
C2W, a subsidiary of Megawide Construction Corp., signed a joint venture agreement with the Cebu City Government for the modernization and development of Cebu’s oldest and biggest public market.
According to Eco, they are now revisiting the construction plans and processing all necessary permits to begin building the main Carbon Public Market.
Currently, the vendors who were displaced during the development of the Freedom Park are stationed in the market’s interim building.
Eco said once all necessary permits will be approved, the construction period of the new and modern public market will take around 18 months.
“Honestly, we are just in five to 10 percent of the development. Layo pa kaayo siya. Daghan pa kaayo na og buhaton (We are far from finished. There is still a lot of work to do),” said Eco.
According to Eco, Phase 1 of the Carbon Market Development Project should be completed in 2028. This includes the main public market and its commercial component, parking spaces and sewer facilities.
What C2W has opened so far is the interim market, the restored Freedom Park, Sto. Niño park and chapel, and the famous Carbon Night Market.
But Eco said construction works are still ongoing to expand Freedom Park since Mayor Rama wants the area to be enlarged.
The Carbon Night Market will also be marking its first anniversary in April 2023, and Eco said the number of visitors has not dwindled since its launching in 2022.
Dispute
Meanwhile, Eco admitted that the writ of preliminary injunction issued by the court to the Cebu City Government concerning the Compaña Maritima area issue has affected their schedule for product delivery and operations.
“We earnestly (hope) that the case be resolved soonest since the developments around the area would benefit not just Carbon, but also our tourism zone and downtown district in general,” Eco said in a text message sent to SunStar Cebu Tuesday.
Located in the Compaña Maritima area are the C2W’s Puso Village and Mechanical Parking, which are now under the control of the Cebu Port Authority (CPA).
On Dec. 23, 2022, Regional Trial Court Branch 10 Judge Soliver Peras granted the CPA’s application for a writ of preliminary injunction to prohibit the City Government from occupying any portion of the Compaña Maritima area.
Peras favored the claim of the Republic of the Philippines and CPA that the contested area belongs to the Baseport of Cebu and thus belongs to the state.
Singapore-like
Eco also affirmed that their company supports the Singapore-like vision of Rama for Cebu City which can be applied in the Carbon Market District.
When going to other countries, what speaks for the character of that area is the status of its public market. Thus, it is imperative to start implementing Rama’s vision in the Carbon Public Market, she said.
“I would always say that Carbon is the microcosm of the entire Cebu… We start with what we have here in Carbon,” said Eco.