Councilor Sheen Marie Mabilog is calling for a review of the Iloilo City Market and Slaughterhouse Code amid the ongoing dispute over the operation of bolanteros, or ambulant vendors, saying the ordinance must adapt to address present realities while protecting livelihoods.
Mabilog said the city’s Regulation Ordinance No. 2009-316, which prohibits ambulant vendors from selling within a 100-meter radius of public markets, should be revisited and possibly amended to respond to the concerns raised by both market vendors and street sellers.
“We have to follow the law, but that does not mean the ordinance cannot be amended or updated to address the problem,” she said.
The councilor emphasized that the issue should not be framed as a conflict between ambulant vendors and market stall holders, noting that both sectors have legitimate concerns that deserve government attention.
According to Mabilog, ambulant vendors are not deliberately defying city regulations but are simply trying to sustain their livelihoods amid economic pressures.
“There should be a system where both groups can coexist,” she said, adding that the city government may coordinate with the Iloilo provincial government, which is reportedly considering designating spaces for ambulant vendors.
Under the current market code, ambulant vendors are barred from operating within 100 meters of market premises in all public markets across the city.
Beyond the issue of competition, Mabilog said deeper concerns may lie in the current design and allocation of market spaces, which she said may have unintentionally disadvantaged some market vendors.
She noted that based on information relayed to her, the original design for the city’s public markets allocated the entire first floor for vendors, but only about 40 percent of that space is currently being used for that purpose, forcing some vendors to relocate to upper floors.
“What happened to the original plan? Some vendors were compelled to move to the second and third floors, and that may be affecting their sales,” she said.
Mabilog also urged the public and fellow officials not to dismiss criticism surrounding the issue as politically motivated, stressing that the underlying concerns should be openly addressed.
“Real concerns should not be brushed aside or branded as orchestrated,” she said.
The issue over ambulant vendors has drawn public attention in recent weeks as market sellers raised concerns over declining sales, while informal vendors continue to seek spaces where they can legally operate.
Mabilog said the city government must find a balanced solution that upholds regulations while ensuring that vulnerable sectors are not deprived of their means of livelihood.IMT
