DAVAO CITY – The City Demolition Unit here extended the vending activities of venders in the city streets for the Christmas season.
In a press conference on Wednesday, retired Colonel Yusof Jimlani said they are suspending their demolition operations against venders who are violating the city’s “1/3-2/3” policy on the use of the sidewalks until January 5 next year.
Jimlani said some venders in Bankerohan Public market had approached him and plead for a chance to sell just for the holidays.
“They asked for extension. They already gave up because of the continuing demolition that we conducted,” said Jimlani.
Jimlani said they also gave the venders one meter from the railing in Bankerohan Public market
“When you enter the market we have the railing at the left side and we gave them one meter where they can sell their ware because of their pleading,” he said.
Jimlani explained that the official policy on the use of the sidewalks and the pedestrian overpass for the vendors is 1/3 for the vendors and 2/3 for the people to pass by.
“But what happened is they are occupying two lanes for their store. The 1/3 in the center is left for the people to pass and the other 1/3 is already occupied by the vendors),” he said.
Jimlani said they are expecting more illegal venders who are now evicted to come to his office to request and allow them to sell for their livelihood.
He said they have already denied the request of some venders who wanted to occupy the overpass along Bajada.
He said that the demolition is not to remove the venders livelihood and that they have provided the venders with the night market as a form of “rehabilitation”.(davaotoday.com)
