Iloilo City offers vendors a deal: one market day weekly

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The Local Economic Enterprise Office in Iloilo City is considering designating a weekly market day for transient vendors, locally known as “bolanteros,” selling around the Iloilo Terminal Market as the city government prepares to strictly enforce clearing operations in the area.

LEEO Head Maricel Mabaquiao said Monday, March 9, that based on discussions with the market vendors association, the proposed market day may be held once a week every Tuesday.

Mabaquiao said the plan aims to replicate the “Huwebesan” tradition at the Jaro Big Market, where residents flock to the market every Thursday to buy fresh produce, fish, meat, and other local goods.

The Huwebesan is a longstanding market tradition in Jaro district that draws large crowds of buyers and sellers every Thursday, serving as both a commercial and cultural fixture in the community.

She said more than 300 transient vendors are currently included in the LEEO database, most of whom are residents of Iloilo City.

These vendors previously sold in the market and were documented when they were temporarily relocated to stalls during the redevelopment of the Terminal Market.

Mabaquiao noted that those currently complaining about the clearing operations are mostly vendors not included in the LEEO master list and are considered new entrants.

She said many of these vendors come from various towns in Iloilo province.

“Those who are there are not in our listing. Meaning to say, they are new, and they have not listed themselves,” she said.

She explained that transient vendors are supposed to act primarily as wholesalers by delivering their produce to the market’s “bagsakan,” or drop-off area.

“Supposedly, bolanteros should only deliver their produce to the bagsakan. That is the trade, but what is happening is they are also selling directly,” she stressed.

Mabaquiao said vendors included in the LEEO database will be endorsed to the market committee for evaluation and deliberation to determine whether they can be accommodated inside the market.

“This week, we are finalizing it. We are thoroughly checking the list because there are new vendors who are not part of our records. We want to ensure that those included are long-time bolanteros,” the LEEO chief said.

If approved, the vendors may be assigned to the vegetable section on the second floor of the market to avoid direct competition with existing stallholders.

Mabaquiao said those who may be allowed to participate in the proposed market day are bolanteros and wholesalers who cannot be accommodated inside the redeveloped market.

She stressed that LEEO will enforce “zero tolerance” in clearing operations against unauthorized vendors around the market to ensure what she described as a “win-win situation” among market stakeholders.

“There needs to be a balanced income. They should only deliver their goods, customers will buy them, and the vendors inside the market will be the ones selling in retail,” she emphasized.

Mabaquiao added that clearing operations had already been implemented in the past but were temporarily suspended while the market redevelopment was ongoing.

She said transient vendors were only “tolerated” during the construction period when they were temporarily relocated to roadside stalls.

Mabaquiao said the market committee is set to deliberate and validate the first batch of transient vendors who may be accommodated inside the market but declined to disclose the number being considered.

She added that the deliberation process is expected to be swift and could be completed within a day.

The Iloilo Terminal Market, redeveloped by SM Prime Holdings Inc. under a public-private partnership with the Iloilo City government, held its grand opening in October 2025 and is considered one of the city’s major public market modernization projects.