Tacurong vendors protest ‘talipapa’ proliferation
Local News • 19:00 PM Thu Jul 22, 2021
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By:
PNA
Tacurong central market vendors stage "silent protest" against proliferation of "talipapa" in the city. (Photo from MAX FM Tacurong)
TACURONG CITY – More or less 200 market vendors staged a two-day silent protest to compel the city government to regulate the rising number of “talipapa” (makeshift wet markets) across the city.
Allan Freno, Tacurong City information office, said the protest ended Wednesday night after the city government vowed to address the issue by finding a win-win solution.
The protesting vendors claimed that only a handful of people have been going to the central market because of the presence of many “talipapa” around the city.
“A fish vendor with only a few supplies and one variety of fish can put up a roadside stall,” a city market vendor who introduced herself as Sally San said, referring to the “talipapa” competitors.
“People no longer go to the market but to the 'talipapa' to our disadvantage because we pay huge rentals and market taxes while they do not,” she added.
In a separate interview, market-goer Antero Balensya, 50, said they sometimes resort to buying meat and fish products at the “talipapa” for practical reasons.
“Consumers like us would rather buy fish or meat on a roadside 'talipapa' than in the central market where health protocols are very strict, parking of vehicles is limited, and items are expensive,” he said.
Freno said the city enterprises office has given barangay officials only 10 days from Wednesday to bring all wet market vendors into just one place in their respective barangays.
“All of us want a living, a legitimate source of income, but there is a law. We are imposing the ordinance and we want to be fair to all,” he said in the vernacular.
Meanwhile, market vendors resumed operations Thursday, hoping the matter would soon be addressed by the city government.
A local ordinance was passed six months ago to regulate the number of vendors in the city after “talipapa” sprouted like mushrooms at the height of quarantine protocols.
Its full implementation was deferred for six months upon the request of wet market vendors. The deferment ended last month.