Acting Bacolod Mayor Renecito Novero yesterday said he has recommended that the vendors, who have continued to occupy the Vendors' Plaza at the Reclamation Area in Bacolod City, be allowed to continue their business, while the Market Committee is still deliberating on what to do with the market.

Novero said that during a joint executive-legislative caucus held Tuesday, Assistant City Treasurer Lilia Ursos, attested that there are vendors who continue to pay "arkabala" or fees to the city although they have no contracts of lease, awards or certificate of occupancy with the city.

"Because they continue to pay, I recommended that they be given gracious attention and a little extension of their stay while the Market Committee is deliberating on what to do with the Vendor's Plaza," he said.

Novero said the motivation of the Market Committee is really good - to stabilize and to move forward the Vendors' Plaza. He said the Market Committee will also meet to discuss the problems in the three other markets being occupied by vendors who have not been paying rental fees to the city, although they are asking for the condonation of their arrearages which the city finds difficult to grant. Admittedly, there are many problems in the operations of markets and it is not easy to find immediate solutions, he said.

Novero said there are comments that if a public official addresses strongly the problems of the markets, it is like a "political suicide." He said "that as long as what we are doing is right, I believe it will even be advantageous both to the city and to the politician."

Novero said these matters are now being deliberated because the mayor cannot just decide by himself. He will have to seek consultations with the Market Committee and also consider the decision of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, he said.

The SP and the vice mayor cannot simply resolve it by themselves because they also need to consult with the Market Committee and commune with the mayor on his own program regarding the markets, he added.*CGS

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