Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival has guaranteed that all legitimate vendors of Carbon Public Market will have a place in the redeveloped market, with security of tenure, while questioning continued opposition to the project.
Mayor Reiterates Commitment to Vendors
Speaking to reporters on Monday, June 29, 2026, after the City Council’s executive session on June 23, Archival said the City Government’s priority from the start has been to ensure all legitimate vendors affected by the redevelopment are accommodated. “You should understand, from the very beginning of the Carbon redevelopment, I made sure that all vendors would have security of tenure. Meaning to say, all vendors affected by the redevelopment will be accommodated,” Archival said.
Archival expressed confusion over why some groups continue to protest when the city has repeatedly assured vendors they would not lose their livelihood. “I cannot understand why there are vendors continuously protesting. I asked myself, who are these people? What do they stand to lose when we have already assured them that they will all be inside?” he said.
Vendor Slots Guaranteed
The mayor revealed that some vendors have personally approached him to express support for the redevelopment, saying they want modernization to proceed. He stressed that selling at Carbon Public Market is not exclusive to any group, noting that while some oppose the project, others are willing to take their place. Despite friction, Archival reiterated that the city remains committed to accommodating all legitimate vendors currently operating in Carbon.
He suggested that those opposing the redevelopment may be individuals who stand to lose income from informal collection practices once the market is fully managed under the City Government’s centralized system. “There are people who may no longer be able to earn from these collections because whatever revenues are due will go to the city government,” Archival said.
Government Retains Full Control
Asked about claims that the Carbon redevelopment amounts to privatization, Archival disputed the characterization, saying the Cebu City Government retains ultimate authority over the public market. He explained that the city can still negotiate or revisit provisions of its agreement with the private developer if necessary because the local government remains in control of policy decisions. “If there are provisions that need to be discussed with the developer, we can always do that because we are the government,” he said.
