TARLAC CITY, Tarlac (August 18, 2024) — This city’s privately operated market received a “Notice of Violation” from Central Luzon’s Environmental Management Bureau III (EMB III).
In a twist of irony, Angels Market was flagged as having “muddy/filthy floors of wet market” – in contrast to the symbolism it wants to project.
The R. U. Aquino Construction & Development Corp. (RUA) has been operating the Tarlac City Angel’s Market since November 2022 after the city government forcibly fenced off the erstwhile city market located near the city center.
The EMB III found that the market operator violated the provisions of Presidential Decree 1586 or the “Environment Impact Statement System Law”, Republic Act 8749 or the “Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999”, and RA 9275 or the “Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004”.
The Bureau found that RUA has not properly maintained the drain pipes inside the wet market causing muddy, filthy floors. It also found that the operator has no material recovery facility and has not submitted the required periodic reports to the EMB III.
In 2019, Mayor Cristy Angeles championed the cause of the market vendors as she embarked on a mission to regain operational control of the market from Paliparan Central Market Corporation (Paliparan); in 2022 the city government forced vendors to move to the RUA-operated market.
Angeles justified the move from Paliparan to RUA after the Pollution Adjudication Board issued a cease and desist order against Paliparan for violation of RA 9275 or the Philippine Clear Water Act of 2004 the same law violated by RUA.
Meat Vendors Association (MVA) officers lament the mismanagement of the RUA public market.
“Konti ang namimili dito dahil malayo sa sentro ng bayan at walang maayos na parking. Naniningil sila ng hanggang P10 bawat sasakyan pero hindi naman makakapag-park dahil hindi maayos dito sa loob,” Cristy Tañedo, MVA Secretary, told online news service Tarlakenyo.
Tarlakenyo also asked RUA management’s Jojo Esquillo about the issue raised but declined to comment. Esquillo said that he does not even know how many parking spaces are there in the RUA market.
Several ambulant vendors also complained about the extreme heat that is contributing to the already sluggish business in their location.
“Kung noon kumikita kami ng P500 sa isang araw, ngayon swerte na kung may P100 kaming kita,” said a vegetable seller.
A rice trader who refused to be identified compared the Paliparan and RUA operations —
“Mahina ang kita namin dito sa RUA. Dati kumikita ako ng hanggang P60,000 sa Paliparan stall pero dito maswerte na kung may P15,000,” she said.
Tarlakenyo has asked City Information Officer Maureen Clemente for comments but she has yet to respond.
