City gov’t opens sidewalks to vendors in Christmas season

By John Noel E. Herrera

Vendors in Iloilo City will be allowed to sell on sidewalks from Dec 1 to 31, 2022.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas issued Executive Order No. 406, temporarily allowing open sidewalk vending in the city during the holidays.

“In anticipation of holiday celebrations, it is expected that as part of Filipino tradition, vendors set up stalls along the allowed and identified streets in the metro and customers should swamp to purchase their needs, especially during the holiday rush, providing the vendors their source of livelihood and another platform for economic recovery,” part of the EO read.

“Open sidewalks kita starting Dec 1 pero to be supervised by PSTMO (Public Safety and Transportation Management Office) para ang mga tao may alagyan man gyapon. Gina ubra ta ni para makabuhi-buhi man ang sidewalk vendors naton,” Treñas also said.

The city government stressed that vendors still need to comply with some requirements, which include barangay clearance from the respective barangay where the vendor intends to sell; community tax certificates (CEDULA); vaccine cards; special permit contracts: anti-smoking signage from ICAST, and health cards if the vendors will sell food products.

The city government also assigned specific areas in the city where vendors are allowed to display and sell their products:

*along Iznart Street – from Po’s Marketing to Jollibee, Iznart

*along J.M. Basa Street – from Socorro to Washington

*along Ledesma Street – from Unitop to Corner of F&C Pawnshop

*along Valeria to Delgado Streets – from F&C to Iloilo Supermart

*along Delgado Street – from Cor. Merczi to Iloilo Supermart

*Jaro Plaza – Outside the perimeter of Jaro Plaza across Evangelical Church except in Ledi Supermart; from SM SaveMore to across of Montinola Mansion

*Molo Plaza – Jocsin Street and Katilingban (M.H. del Pilar Street)

Vendors who want to put up temporary stalls must also follow certain specifications:

*Stalls must not be bigger than two meters by four meters in size.

*Stalls must be one meter apart from another stall.

*The front portion of the stall shall be made by the approved sidewalk vendors who have secured a permit to operate.

*Vendors are responsible for the removal of the stalls, leaving the areas clean and free from littered materials.

The city government will only allow one stall to operate per vendor in all assigned areas, and they are required to pay not less than P200 per stall at the City Treasurer’s Office.

Meanwhile, the PSTMO will be in charge of inspecting the stalls, display of goods, cleanliness and compliance of the approved vendors to the regulations implemented by the city government.

The city government also urged the vendors to sell their products at reasonable prices, follow the minimum health and safety protocols, and make sure that they properly dispose of their garbage to avoid eye sores on the streets.