Iloilo vendors fear businesses may not survive under prolonged relocation

ILOILO CITY, Philippines – This December, hundreds of vendors who were relocated from the three district markets of Iloilo City were hoping to return to their original stalls.

It has been two years since they were displaced to give way to the redevelopment of the Jaro, La Paz, and Arevalo public markets, and, for just as long, they have been earning much less.

The local government recently announced, however, that the vendors will need to wait for another year — the completion of the new markets has been delayed. 

Sari-sari store owner Shiella Gullo fears her business may not survive. Originally from the La Paz Public Market, she has been struggling with her income since being relocated.

“I was really hoping that we would be returning because, honestly, we are struggling to make a living in our relocated area,” she told Rappler. 

The markets have been undergoing renovation since late 2022, funded through the city government’s loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines. 

For 15 years, Gullo’s small store has been the primary source of income for her family, supporting their daily needs and her child’s education. 

Her relocated stall is located near a busy road — an area where vehicles regularly pass by, discouraging potential buyers. 

From a daily average sales of P5,000 to P8,000 before the renovation, Gullo’s current earnings are a fraction of what she used to make: an average of just P1,250 to P2,000. 

“Our sales are very poor. Some days, we can barely afford to buy food. We are deeply in debt, and many of my regular customers have moved to nearby commercial centers, like Plazuela Wet Market,” she said.

Gullo, “disappointed” by the delay in their transfer, said every day is a struggle to make ends meet.

Before the relocation, Gullo’s business thrived, with regular customers — especially on weekends — who appreciated the market’s accessible parking facilities. Now, with no parking spaces in the relocation site, bulk buyers have stopped patronizing her store.

With low income and mounting debts, Gullo was forced to let go of two employees, leaving her to manage the store alone.

Mercy Gabiota, also a sari-sari store owner in the same market, inherited her stall from her aunt, who had abandoned it due to low profitability. 

She also earns only a fraction of what the store used to generate. Before the relocation, her aunt’s store earned P10,000 to P20,000 daily, with a net income of around P3,000. Now, Gabiota barely makes P4,000, leaving her with a net income of just P500.

Gabiota also attributed the decreased sales of her store to her current location and the limited space that she occupies. 

The stalls occupied by the market vendors were predetermined by the city government. 

“We’re only lucky on Saturdays and Sundays, when we manage to earn a bit more. We are just rolling our earnings. We just have to survive the day,” she said.

Gabiota is supporting two children in college, one in high school, and another in grade school. She also has to set aside P200 daily for their allowances. On top of this, Gabiota commutes daily from Guimaras to Iloilo City to run her business. 

“All my jewelry, which were very dear to me, have been pawned or sold just to keep the business afloat,” she lamented.

Hefty costs

Vendors also face rising cost of goods, rentals, electricity bills, and quarterly withholding tax remittances, further eroding their profits. 

“Vegetables are so expensive now. We can’t raise our prices because it will drive customers away. We barely make a profit, and most days we’re at a loss,” Gullo said.

Gullo pays P1,600 for two stalls she occupied and a P20 daily fee for placing extra products outside her designated space. 

Gabiota, meanwhile, has a monthly rental fee of P955 and an additional P10 daily for her extra space. 

As the year nears end, vendors are also preparing for several fees and requirements for the business permit renewal in January 2025. 

Expedite the construction

Gullo hopes that the arrangement of stalls will be fairly distributed upon their return to the renovated market. 

“We really want to return so that the stall arrangements will be fair. Right now, our current location isn’t accessible to customers,” Gullo said.

“We are saddened by our situation. I hope the city government hears us and speeds up the renovation because we are losing customers every day,” she added. 

Gabiota said, if the relocation drags on, it will severely impact her business. She hopes financial assistance will be provided to help vendors with their capital. 

“I hope the construction finishes quickly and we can move back to our stalls. Hopefully, we get lucky and secure a stall in a prime location,” she said. 

In May, Mayor Jerry Treñas announced to the market vendors that the three district markets would reopen in December. 

But the hopes of the vendors were dashed when the City Engineer’s Office (CEO) announced on November 25 that the reopening would take place in late 2025 or the first quarter of 2026. 

CEO architect Regina Gregorios explained that reopening the market and transferring the vendors to the markets soon, while some of the works are ongoing, could pose safety risks and even delay the project’s overall completion.

“It’s difficult to move in this time because, as you know, there is still finishing work to be done. We would rather have it completely finished so that the transfer will be seamless,” she said. 

The renovation of the three markets were done in phases. Phase 1 of the Arevalo Market has been completed as of November, but that of the Jaro and La Paz Markets is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2025. 

If the phase 2 of all the markets will be bidded out in the first quarter next year, Gregorios said the district markets would likely be reopened to vendors “either late last quarter of 2025 or first quarter of 2026.” – Rappler.com

Rjay Zuriaga Castor is a community journalist and a reporter for the Iloilo-based newspaper Daily Guardian. He is also an Aries Rufo Journalism Fellow at Rappler for 2024.