AS MANY as 195 people, including a candidate for vice mayor in next year’s local elections, signed a manifesto calling on the public to oppose the alleged “privatization” of Carbon Public Market in Cebu City.
Members of the Carbon Alliance held a gathering on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, to protest the ongoing modernization of Carbon Public Market, claiming that vendors doing business at the market for many years have been negatively affected by the development.
One of the signatories of the manifesto was Pagtambayayong Foundation chairman Francisco “Bimbo” Fernandez, who is gunning for the city’s vice mayoral seat in next year’s elections.
Fernandez said Carbon Public Market should not be converted into a “mall” and that the Cebu City Government should heed the public’s call to halt its development.
“Why is the City not listening to us? Are we not in a democracy where the people should dictate what government should do? Why are they calling the shots?” Fernandez said in Cebuano.
Fernandez also thanked the people who signed the manifesto for standing up against the City and giving the public a genuine voice to dissent. The other attendees were Wine Miro and Joy Orlanes of Carbonhanong Alyansa; Orlando Carvajal of Forge, Ramon Sevilla of Paglaum sa Cebu, Erwin Gok-ong Sr. and Clarisa Otadoy of Cemvedco and other organizations.
The group called for a simple, clean, orderly, safe and cheap Carbon Public Market that must be funded by the City’s funds and not by a private firm. The joint venture agreement between the Cebu City Government and Megawide Construction Inc. for the market’s development is expected to bring around P80 million yearly to the City’s coffers in annual guarantee fees, and real property and business taxes. (PAC / JKV)