Quezon City residents can expect better and cleaner private markets following Mayor Herbert Bautista’s directive for market owners to upgrade their facilities.
“We just want them to feel that we are serious in helping them improve their businesses,” Bautista said.
The mayor gave owners of the city’s more than 40 private markets a second ultimatum to improve their facilities as well as comply with business and sanitation requirements by December or face sanctions, including possible closure. He also urged them to submit a rehabilitation plan.
The city government found several violations, such as failure to comply with building, sanitation, environmental and zoning standards.
City administrator Aldrin Cuña said the upgrade will also benefit the owners of the private markets given the competition from air-conditioned groceries.
“Consumers deserve a better service. There is a need not only to comply with the necessary permits. Do you want to see private markets as wet and muddy as they can be?” he said.
“People can now do their marketing in air-conditioned malls, where the presentation and the handling of food is better than the private market’s. That is the challenge,” Cuña added.
Bautista said private market owners and operators in Quezon City should consider embarking on public-private partnerships to improve their business operations.
“It will be a losing proposition if their owners will not upgrade and re-develop their facilities,” he said.
So far, only the Super Palengke in Project 8 and the Arayat Market in Cubao have complied with the city’s regulatory requirements.
Market administrator Noel Soliven said the owners of eight private markets operating in the Balintawak area have already signified their intention to retrofit and renovate their facilities.