Bayan Panay rejects Drilon’s call to ‘prove worth’ to corporations

By Juliane Judilla

Multi-sectoral group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Panay has pushed back against remarks by former Senate President Franklin Drilon, asserting that local vendors and residents should not bear the burden of proving their worth to private corporations.

During his visit at the Iloilo Terminal Market in Iloilo City on Monday, the former senator said the city must “show SM Group that we deserve their confidence” and “prove we are worth their investment.”

Bayan Panay, in a statement, rejected this framing, arguing that the privatization of the Iloilo Central Market and Iloilo Terminal Market is not an obligation owed by Ilonggos to SM Prime Holdings or any private corporation.

The group maintained that public market development does not require transferring control to private entities.

It pointed out that the city government could have undertaken rehabilitation using public funds, citing municipalities across Iloilo province that have improved their markets without displacing vendors or relinquishing public ownership.

“The Iloilo City Government could have upgraded and improved these markets if public funds were properly managed and prioritized for genuine public service,” the group said.

Bayan Panay noted that Iloilo City itself had previously rehabilitated district markets in Arevalo, Mandurriao, La Paz, and Jaro through public initiatives — demonstrating that upgrades can be achieved without privatization.

The group further criticized the current arrangement with SM Prime, claiming the corporation is not paying rent for the Central and Terminal markets.

It argued that the reported PHP 3 billion redevelopment investment has resulted not in genuine improvements for vendors but in expanded commercial control over public spaces, allegedly reducing areas allocated for small stallholders and ambulant vendors, or bolanteros.

The group also raised concerns about Drilon’s position, noting his current role as an independent director of BDO Unibank, which is part of the SM Group.

“The reality is simple,” the group said.

“The Sy family, among the richest in the country, does not need further protection from the city government,” they added.

Instead, the organization emphasized the need to prioritize small vendors and informal workers who, it said, continue to face challenges as a result of market privatization policies approved by local officials.

Bayan Panay called for the return of public markets to government control, urging authorities to ensure secure stalls, fair access, and dignified working conditions for vendors.