IN FOCUS

Return the original stall-owners. Vendors in San Nicolas Public Market demand for a return to their stalls in the new public market.

ANGELES CITY -- Patronage politics dominates the awarding of stall rights on the new San Nicolas Public Market of this city, and it favors mostly the supporters of the incumbent city Mayor Carmelo “Tarzan” Lazatin and some city politicians.

This was disclosed by 60 leaders and representatives of San Nicolas Public Market Vendors Association Inc.(Association) on a protest march and picket last February 26 in front of the new public market on the heart of this city.

In an interview with GLNS, Alfredo Dizon, vendors’ association chairperson said 500 of their 627 members were not re-awarded the rights to their old stalls from the former market place which burned down on July 1, 2001.

The minority of their members who were forced to accept the city government’s token offer had to content themselves with secondary spots where they can only expect to sell less.

"Corrupt" deal

Mr. Dizon alleged just a few privileged businessmen and local politicians close to the mayor made a killing on this “corrupt” deal.

Among those who he said conspired and benefited from this act are Councilor Willie Rivera, a businessman named Jess Lugto and one named Nena David.

David was appointed chairperson of the vendors’ association which was organized by the city council to counter the moves of the old vendors’ association which is now protesting the city council’s move on the new market.

He further said Mayor Lazatin chose not to recognize the rights of the vendors who temporarily stopped plying their trade when the old market burned down.

He stressed the new arrangement hurt those who eked their living on the city’s public market for years.

IN FOCUS

Market under fire. Vendors in San Nicolas Public Market protest what they claim as a "corrupt deal."

Legitimacy of stallholders

Ironically, Resolution 3624 passed by the city council on August 13, 2002, or a year after the said market was destroyed, recognize the legitimacy of the rights of the stallholders on the old market.

This, according to Dizon, buttress their claim that their former stalls should be re-awarded to them once the new market opens.

Another protesting vendor leader Jess Aguilar said they continuously paid the annual fees for their permit to operate and the monthly rent for the space of their former stalls for six years even if they were unable to do business while the market was being rebuilt.

The city treasury office even charged those who were unable to pay on time a 20% fine.

Aguilar stated the case of Paning’s Store (noted for their watermelon seed products) who used to directly pay rent to the city treasury but is now actually renting his old stall from Councilor Rivera’s mother-in-law who has never even been a vendor in the city market.

IN FOCUS

Plea for mercy. Elderly vendor call on the mayor.

Prime corner

Another case he said is that of 64 years old Anacleta Francisco who for more than 30 years manned her bakery located at a prime corner of the burnt market.

But when she tried to reoccupy the reconstructed stall on her same corner of the market last October 8, 2006, she said the mayor arrived and pointed to the direction of her stall.

Police who accompanied the mayor on that day, asked her to vacate the place then padlocked it.

She said she found out later that her former stall had already been awarded to Chinese businessmen brothers Andrew and Anson Ong from the town of Magalang.