By Jen Baylon

The Bacolod City government granted the request of vendors at the Burgos Public Market for a deadline extension to settle their stall rental arrears until March 31.

Councilor Celia Flor, chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlungsod’s (SP) committee on markets and slaughterhouses, said the deadline has been extended, which will allow the vendors to pay on an installment basis of P5,000 per month.

Flor said, based on the records of the City Treasurer’s Office, about 20 percent of the market vendors made full payments before the initial deadline last Wednesday, January 31.

More than 100 fish vendors have arrears amounting to P16,000 each for occupying market stalls.

Flor is hoping that there will be no further deadline extension.

She addressed this matter during the regular SP session after the Burgos Ramos Vendors Association and the Burgos Market Fish Vendors Association requested the Local Market Committee (LMC) for a three-month deadline extension to settle their arrears.

The vendors initially requested a six-month extension to settle their debts, which was rejected by the majority of LMC members./JB, WDJ