CDO cracks down on street, sidewalk vendors

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 25 Nov) ¬– The local government here has cracked down on hundreds of sidewalk and street vendors starting Thursday, ahead of the Christmas season following complaints from motorists and storeowners.

_{Police officers talk to sidewalk vendors at the Cogon public market in Cagayan de Oro City. MindaNews photo by FROILAN GALLARDO}

Teams of city hall personnel, medical responders and policemen swooped down Vicente Roa and Osmeña streets around Cogon, the city’s main public market, to clear them of vendors.

Eric Salcedo, head of the city night market team, said more than 600 vendors were affected in the crackdown. He said more would be affected in the following days as city hall trained its eyes on hundreds on vendors selling “ukay-ukay” (used clothing) along Daomar Street.

“We want to clear Vicente Roa, Osmeña and Yacapin streets of vendors so vehicular traffic can flow freely,” Salcedo said.

He said store owners have complained that vendors selling their products on the streets and sidewalks were blocking their customers.

Thursday’s crackdown was generally peaceful unlike in the past when sidewalk vendors fought the police and city hall officials who came to drive them away.

Salcedo said they have engaged the vendors in a series of meetings explaining why city hall is “rationalizing” their trade.

“We have made it clear to them we would not prohibit them selling. We only want to clear the streets,” he said.

_{A vendor listens to a police officer giving her instruction where she can transfer her stall at the Cogon public market. MindaNews photo by FROILAN GALLARDO}

Marilo Alipio, 24, who sells buko and calamansi juice, said she approved with the way city hall handled their transfer.

The mother of four children said she was transferred to nearby Daomar Street beside the public market.

“When I got to Daomar Street, I was given a space for my small stall,” said Alipio, who earns P1,000 a day.

Salcedo said all vendors selling food and vegetables, especially those who attended the meetings, were given spaces in the places where they are allowed to sell. (Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews)