MANGALDAN—Despite protest rally and a letter for deferment from the market vendors, the approval of the proposed additional P40 million loan by the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) appears imminent.

The majority of the SB members voted last week to adopt the committee report that supports the construction of the second phase of the public market.

The P40-M loan is actually part of the P100 million loan originally secured by the administration of former Mayor Herminio Romero from the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) for the reconstruction of the burnt public market.

LBP released the P60 million that was used for the construction of phase one plan of the market. However, the P40 million was withheld due to the change in the administration owing to Romero’s demise.

The bank now requires a new resolution from the SB approving the additional loan for the market’s phase II.

OPPOSITION

Prior to the adoption of the SB committee report, some members of militant group Bayan Muna and pedicab drivers joined the protest rally opposing the plan in front of the National Youth Development Center (NYDC) where the SB holds its sessions.

“We believe this loan will be an added burden to the residents as the amortization for the loan will be shouldered by them as taxpayers”, said Baby Panopio of Bayan Muna.

Clarence Morillo, president of the market vendors association, clarified that his group is not against the proposed loan but wants a deferment until some policy issues it broached to the LGU are resolved.

Among the issues raised were: distribution of stalls and accountability in the collection of market fees. He said his group sent a letter of the office the mayor but it has remained unanswered.

Ariel Manifor, president of the Federation of Pedicab drivers, however, said while his group’s support for the protest rally was for a different issue that directly affects the pedicab drivers in the town, he added that the local government should prioritize the social services and other concerns of the town before building the market.

Vice Mayor Manuel Casupang attempted to raise the issues before the SB prior to the adoption of the committee report but the members proceeded with the adoption without acting on the issues raised.

JUSTIFICATION

Meanwhile, Mayor Bona Fe Parayno, in an interview with The PUNCH, refuted the claims of the protesters asserting that the loan will be used in an income-generating project.

“The fees from the stalls will not only be enough to pay the amortization but will expectedly earn a surplus to be added to the municipality’s trust fund”, Parayno explained.

She said that the construction of phase two of the market is long overdue and many of the former stall owners have been waiting to return to their stalls and the completion of the reconstruction of the market will lead to more revenues for the town that will enable it to allocate more funds for the basic services needed by the residents.

Phase two will serve 170 stalls in the inner section while the outer section will be allotted for the ambulant vendors. Parayno said the market vendors will be consulted on the issues they raised before finalizing these.

The SB is expected to pass the ordinance in its regular session on July 29. (Hilda M. Austria)

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