By Mae Singuay

The Bacolod City Legal Office (CLO) conducted an ongoing operation of clearing the city public plaza and South Capitol Road area from illegal vendors.

City Legal Officer Romeo Carlos Ting, Jr. said the Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) started the removal of makeshift walls at the plaza following reports that some sellers utilized the shed houses while vending.

He said illegal vendors must be removed as the plaza must be a place for recreation wherein everybody should enjoy a safe, peaceful, beautiful, and clean venue.

Only vendors with business permits are authorized to do business in the area, he added.

The City Health Office will also be roaming around in the public plaza to monitor if there are guest relation officers still doing business.

They need to secure a “pink card” as part of their compliance with the sanitation permit, Ting said.

Aside from the public plaza, the POSO will clear South Capitol Road from illegal sidewalk vendors also, who do business without permits, Ting said.

The road must be cleared as they are causing traffic congestion, he said.

Ting clarified that the city government has yet to offer venues to transfer their stalls. 

However, for now they have to vacate the area, he said.

The CLO will confiscate their goods if they refuse to vacate, he added./MS, WDJ