THE Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) has begun clearing the streets surrounding Carbon Public Market from parked vehicles in preparation for the street closure starting Monday, March 22, 2021.
Lyntoni Sable, officer in charge of the CCTO, said no vehicles are allowed to park along the whole stretch of ML Quezon St. starting from Compaña Maritima on Monday and for the duration of Holy Week, which starts on March 28 and ends on April 3.
Aside from the road clearing, the CCTO personnel also launched an information drive regarding the banning of private cars from entering the streets in the vicinity of Carbon market starting Monday, March 22.
Private vehicles cannot enter the streets of Kawit, El Filibusterismo, Calderon, Plaridel and F. Gonzales; however, they are still allowed to enter these streets from Friday, March 19 until Sunday, March 21.
Only private vehicles transporting merchandise to the Carbon market are allowed to enter, said Sable.
Also on Friday, March 19, Sable said they will implement a no parking policy in the vicinity of Carbon Public Market.
Owners of private vehicles will be able to park for free in space near Compaña Maritima starting on March 22. After parking, they only have to walk toward Carbon market.
The CCTO has coordinated with Market Administrator Irvin Cabales whose personnel will help traffic enforcers in monitoring illegally parked cars.
The CCTO recently towed three defective vehicles that had been parked for a long time near Carbon market.
The Cebu City Police Office and its field unit, Police Station 5, will help the City personnel in enforcing public health measures such as wearing masks and social distancing and controlling the market-goers.
On Maundy Thursday, April 9, 2020, photos of people buying ingredients for binignit, a staple dessert for the Holy Week, at Carbon market circulated on social media. The mass gathering was a super-spreader event for Covid-19.
The City Government, which does not want a repeat of the incident, has decided to limit the number of market-goers at Carbon. (PAC)