NO MORE AMBULANT VENDORS. The Sibulan public market is now free of ambulant vendors selling their goods along the national highway. (Photo courtesy of Provincial Highway Patrol Group )
DUMAGUETE CITY – Mayor Jose Pepe Abiera of the municipality of Sibulan in Negros Oriental has directed the town treasurer to look for a place to relocate ambulant vendors who were “displaced” by clearing operations at the public market along the national highway.
Senior Administrative Assistant III Indira Requiron-Puspus of the Sibulan local government unit (LGU) disclosed Tuesday that Mayor Abiera is hoping to have these ambulant vendors relocated within the week.
Twelve vendors, some selling fried chicken usually in the afternoon, were the subject of clearing operations by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 2nd Engineering District last Thursday to free space fronting the public market, she said.
The clearing operations was based on DPWH Department Order No. 52 series of 2003 and in pursuant of Section 23 of Presidential Decree No. 17 (Revised Philippine Highway Act), as amended, which states that “it shall be unlawful for any person to usurp any portion of a right-of-way, to convert any part of any public highway, bridge, wharf or trail to his own private use or to obstruct the same in any manner.”
Police Capt. Silvestre Cenia, Jr., Provincial Highway Patrol Group chief, who, along with his men, assisted in the clearing operation, stressed the need to clear the national highways of obstruction “to promote road safety”.
Puspus added that the ambulant vendors are paying the LGU, through the Sibulan Economic Business Enterprise (SEBE), through a cash ticket on a daily basis.
“These are legitimate vendors, however, the area they were occupying happened to be a national highway, and we had already called their attention to that in the past,” Puspus said. (PNA)
