Senate aspirant Teddy Baguilat said in a visit to the Carbon market in Cebu that the privatization of the market needs to be reviewed to ensure that the rights and welfare of affected vendors, nearby residents and other stakeholders are protected.
“I spoke with several affected vendors and they felt that they were not sufficiently consulted for the project,” Baguilat explained.
He also noted that Carbon market is part of Cebu’s cultural identity with a century of history, and it is a trading hub where many Cebuanos can access affordable goods.
“I understand a portion of Cebu City’s Freedom Park will also be affected by the new structure,” Baguilat added.
Baguilat observed that even Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama had reservations about the project, and the United Church of Christ in the Philippines pleaded for the suspension of demolition works that would displace vendors and residents. These are on top of objections from cooperatives and barangay officials.
“With so many concerns being aired, I believe it is only right that this contract be reviewed and explained to the public,” Baguilat suggested.
“It is not that I oppose change – change is not necessarily bad – but we need to ensure that everyone and everything that will be affected will be consulted and considered before change is imposed,” Baguilat clarified.
“There should be a mechanism to ensure that government projects go through open consultation to address all reasonable concerns, otherwise objections will come up time and again and render those projects a failure,” Baguilat said.
