Bacolod City Administrator Lorendo Dilag said he met yesterday with the market supervisors of the three major markets in Bacolod City and required them to submit an inventory of all the abandoned stalls or blocks in their areas.

Dilag said he will also write the occupants of the Manokan Country to remind them of their arrearages with the city. He said this is because Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia has stressed the need for the city to maximize its collection of rental fees from the markets.

Dilag had earlier said that the city government has been subsidizing the operations of public markets and that corrective measures must be implemented.

The vendors in the three major markets in Bacolod City have total arrearages of P15 million, in terms of rentals and penalties, while those at the Manokan Country have P2 million in arrearages to the city.

Dilag said that despite the resistance at the Vendors Plaza, the city enforced the order of the Market Committee and was able to close the main building last week. This is to show how serious the city is in putting order in the markets, he said. However, the vendors were allowed to continue their business at the parking area adjacent to the Vendor's Plaza, he added.

Dilag said the Market Committee will discuss the mechanics on the occupancy of the stalls or blocks at the Vendor's Plaza since the Mayor is waiting for the guidelines which will be their basis for accepting applicants. "We will see to it that proper awards will be given to qualified vendors," he said.*CGS

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