CABANATUAN CITY – A “baratilyo” or flea market has led to the closure of two busy thoroughfares at the public market, triggering heavy traffic, lower income for local market vendors, and a raging debate on the city council.
The city government had authorized the flea market, operated by MV Lo, to run at the heart of Cabanatuan’s central business district.
But vendors at the public market have complained that the move to accommodate the makeshift structure was “anti-poor” and cut into their sales.
The baratilyo also led to the closure of Burgos and Paco Roman streets, leaving tricycles and private motorists to take other roads, worsening the traffic in this city that is home to an estimated 14,000 tricycles.
The city government, led by Mayor Julius Cesar “Jay” Vergara, granted MV Lo a special permit for the flea market for a fee of P37,500. But MV Lo has charged stall tenants at the baratilyo rent of P50,000 each, the Manila Standard learned.
Members of the Sangguniang Panlunsod have clashed over the legality of the flea market, with Vice Mayor Emmanuel Antonio Umali—a political opponent of Vergara—branding the move as “heartless” and grossly disadvantageous to local stall owners and market vendors.
During a recent SP session, councilors disagreed on whether to hold a public hearing on the issue to allow MV Lo to operate the flea market.
Vergara’s Liberal Party colleague, Councilor Ruben Ilagan V, said a public hearing is no longer necessary, since the closure of the Burgos and Paco Roman roads is only temporary.
Umali’s ally, Councilor Nero Mercado of the Unang Sigaw party, disagreed with Ilagan, saying the sentiments of the stallholders in the public market needed to be heard in the public hearing.
Mercado recalled that in the past, flea markets were also set up at the Plaza Lucero, but these were never in order since they blocked the road, causing chaos.
However, the flea markets thrived because no one among the previous SP members opposed it, including Umali’s predecessor, Marius Garcia, Vergara’s partymate.
Umali said he is opposed to the baratilyo because it is now impeding the flow of traffic within the public market as expected.
“The Supreme Court has already ruled in the case of Makati City and Paranaque City that flea markets are not allowed to be set up in streets,” he said.
The establishment of the flea market is ill timed, Umali said, because Christmas season is coming, which is the only opportunity for homegrown stall-owners to earn a windfall.
“It is the only this time of the year when locales could earn big because of the expected rush of shoppers and buyers, and yet we will allow outsiders to cash in? What heart do we have?” he asked in presiding over the SP meeting.