Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso has stopped street vendors from selling their goods along Ylaya Street in the Divisoria market district after tons of garbage were left behind by vendors, three days after the city chief executive allowed them to temporarily sell there for the holiday season.
“Vendors will no longer be allowed to set up stalls along Ylaya Street in Divisoria due to their negligence in managing their waste,” Domagoso said after conducting a surprise inspection in the area on Monday morning.
Domagoso confronted vendors and police officers after he found the street to be littered with garbage, saying in the vernacular: “Aren’t you ashamed? Do you really lead a gross, filthy, unclean life? Do I have to surprise you? I’m already allowing you to earn a living and yet, you continue to disrespect me.”
“Wala, walang kusa (no initiative),” Domagoso lamented. “If they’ll do it everyday, I’ll stop it all.”
In his speech before Manila City Hall employees during the flag-raising ceremony following the inspection, Domagoso slammed the vendors blatantly leaving their garbage unattended.”©
He also expressed his dismay over the unabated violation of the littering ban, despite repeated reminders and warnings since he assumed office.
The mayor also warned illegal organizers who were extorting from vendors during the past administration, saying they are trying to do it again for the Christmas season.”©
“To the organizers of illegal vendors, return the money you ask for advance payment. If I catch you, you will be in jail,” he said.
He said vendors along Ylaya can no longer return to sell their goods, and told them to go back to their provinces instead.
Failure to maintain cleanliness and orderliness “is a clear failure to comply with the ‘Tapat Ko, Linis Ko’ ordinance” recently signed by the mayor, according to Julius Leonen, Manila Public Information Office chief.
