Ancillary Services Unit Head of Davao City Paul Bermejo said in a radio interview on Thursday, March 10, that vendors will be allowed in the flea market, which will open twice a day at the same time as the coastal road Bago Aplaya-Talomo portion is open from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. and from 3 p.m to 7 p.m.
He said vendors could sell food, accessories, and ready-to-wear clothing.
Bermejo said the city conducted an orientation with vendors for the opening of the flea market. The orientation held on Wednesday was also participated by representatives from the Barangay and Cultural Communities Affairs Development (BCCAD), Davao City Police Office, Task Force Davao, Barangay Captain of Bago Aplaya, City Health Offices, and other agencies.
“So makasulod siguro na’g mga 25 lang ka vendors nga two meters ang ilahang allocated space, unya naay one meter nga distance. And then vendor na pud two meters na pud and so on and so forth,” he added.
(So maybe only 25 vendors are allowed with two meters of their allocated space, and then they have a one-meter distance. It goes with another vendor with two meters space and so on and so forth.)
Bermejo also said vendors who occupy spaces on the sidewalk and display items on walls are not allowed to sell on the coastal road, and they will be relocated. He said the road is not intended for the vendors to occupy the space as it is a lane for the public.
The official said vendors have sprouted since the coastal road was opened for people wanting to see the project. In the current setup, vendors are already occupying the sidewalk at the entrance of the Coastal Road and they need to remove their stalls at the Talomo portion immediately.
Before the flea market will be opened on Friday, Bermejo said the vendors were already briefed on where to position their stalls and that these are only temporary.
During the orientation, vendors were informed that the entrance of the Bago Aplaya portion of the Coastal Road is the only area where vendors are allowed to sell. They were advised to remove their stalls in other unauthorized areas such as at the Talomo portion.
“Nihangyo ta sa ilaha nga kung asa sila karon nagpwesto kung mag-open na ang coastal road wala na pud unta sila didto,” Bermejo said.
(We requested them to move out from the area they are occupying once the coastal road opens.)
“Gi-occupy na man nila ang mga sidewalk (Talomo portion) so nihangyo ko sa ilaha kagahapon nga kung naa na mo diha, i-vacate ninyo. Pahawanan gyud na nila didto kay dili man na intended para dinha,” Bermejo added.
(They are already occupying the sidewalk, so we asked them to vacate the area. The area must be cleared because it is not intended for stalls.)
Vendors were also oriented on food handling by representatives of the City Health Office (CHO).
As to garbage disposal, Bermejo said vendors are required to have trash bins and to bring their trash to designated collecting areas in Barangay Bago Aplaya.
Bermejo said the Coastal Road flea market will be temporarily operating as soon as the vehicles can now enter.
The portion of the Coastal Road was opened to the public on January 28, but it is limited to recreational activities for now, including walking, biking, playing, jogging, exercise and skating.
The 18-kilometer coastal road project is composed of four segments: Bago Aplaya – Times Beach; Times Beach – Roxas Avenue; Roxas Avenue – Sta. Ana Wharf; and Sta. Ana Wharf – R. Castillo.
The project aims to serve as an alternate route to the Davao-Cotabato Road and ABS-CBN Diversion Road to ease traffic congestion along busy intersections and the Central Business District. It is also intended to disperse urbanization outside the Davao City Urban Center.
