Arevalo vendors celebrate market reopening

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

The president of the Arevalo Public Market Vendors Association (APMVA) hailed the long-awaited reopening of the Arevalo Public Market on Friday, Dec. 5, calling it “a new chapter” for vendors and the community.

During the culminating program for the blessing and reopening of the market, APMVA President Rey Villacastin said the occasion was deeply meaningful for him and fellow vendors.

“The soft opening of our redeveloped market is not just the unveiling of a building. This is the beginning of a new chapter [for] Iloilo City,” Villacastin said.

Villacastin said that while the old market held many memories, vendors now have the opportunity to build new ones in a modernized facility.

“Our businesses, our families, for many years, we have worked and served our customers in the old [Arevalo] market,” he said.

“That place gave us our memories—our hardships, joys, [and] our daily living.”

“While we carry those memories with us, we now welcome a brighter and bigger future,” he added.

He said the improvements—including better accessibility, comfort, and resilience—reflect the city government’s commitment to help vendors grow and thrive.

He urged fellow vendors to do their part by keeping their stalls clean and well-maintained, stressing that they contribute to the city’s progress.

Located beside the heritage-rich Arevalo Plaza, the redeveloped market has been transformed into a two-story building inspired by the district’s annual Paraw Regatta Festival, with 179 new kiosks added to the 117 existing vendors.

The second floor, accessible via two sets of stairs, features a food court and a small parking area that can accommodate 36 cars and 12 motorcycles, while work on an elevator is still underway.

New facilities include delivery bays; a PUJ loading and unloading bay; solar panels; generator sets; a sprinkler system; a public announcement system; closed-circuit television cameras; a rainwater harvesting facility; a septic vault; cistern tanks; grease traps; and a sewage treatment plant.

The market also houses offices for the market administration and the City Environment and Natural Resources Office.

Rental rates are PHP 31.62 per day for a 2-by-4 stall, PHP 20.38 per day for a 2-by-2 stall, and PHP 10.36 per day for a 1-by-3 table.

Local Economic Enterprise Office Chief Maricel Mabaquiao said the reopened market “represents a safe, climate-responsive, and accessible market for everyone.”

It is the first of three markets rehabilitated by the Iloilo City government through a loan with the Development Bank of the Philippines to reopen.

The Jaro and La Paz public markets are also scheduled to open this month.

The city’s two largest markets—the Central and Terminal markets—were redeveloped through a public-private partnership with mall developer SM.