UP Ibalon Bicol: Naga Public Market (Supermarket) Burns Down

Naga Public Market (Supermarket) Burns Down

11/07/2008 | Posted by myty555 | Edit Post

The Naga City public market burned down last night while there was a black-out. According to a friend, it started on the 2nd floor along the fish section. As of this morning, firefighters still can't enter the fiery structure but it is thought that even the 3rd floor will be unserviceable. Doubts are even entertained if the first floor will be serviceable. Fire-hose water run-off marred the ground floor.

True to our grim nature, the scuttlebutt is that Mayor Jesse Robredo had it burned down. But it is a story few level-headed minds will entertain. The city mayor was in a tug of war with the stall owners over the demolition and renovation of the said structure. Current occupiers fear that with a BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) type of construction they will lose their rights and that rent will go up. The mayor has long been complaining of the low rental coupled with a high level of delinquency. He also points out that the public market is no longer in step with the growing city.

The immediate question after the incident is where market vendors will ply their trade and where people can buy their daily needs. This morning the market vendors used Igualdad and Gen. Luna Streets as their makeshift market. But this is a problem that must be resolved very soon. Of course, that is the forte of the current mayor of the city.

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