Vendors from Carbon Market on Friday urged the Cebu City Council to address the concerns of more than 700 families in Sitio Bato, Barangay Ermita, who fear demolition due to an ongoing redevelopment project.
The group Carbohanong Alyansa said modernization efforts should not come at the expense of communities whose livelihoods are tied to the Carbon Public Market.
In a statement dated February 27, the coalition thanked Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña for facilitating a consultative dialogue and ensuring their concerns were heard.
“His action affirms that public office is a platform to serve and protect the people, especially those whose livelihoods and homes are directly affected by government decisions,” the group said.
The vendors also acknowledged the presence of Councilor Sisinio Andales and representatives from the offices of Councilors Paul Labra, Michelle Cellona, Jose Abellanosa, Harold Go, and Atty. Mikel Rama during the dialogue.
They likewise thanked Association of Barangay Councils President Franklyn Ong and SK Federation President Rhea Jakosalem for engaging with vendors.
The group said it hopes the issues raised will be taken up during the Executive Session scheduled on March 17, 2026, when the City Council is set to review matters related to the redevelopment of Carbon Public Market.
At the center of the appeal is the situation of families living in Sitio Bato, who the group said are facing “deep uncertainty and fear of demolition” to pave the way for the project.
“Their homes, livelihoods, and future deserve protection, dignity, and justice,” the statement read.
The appeal comes amid ongoing debate over the 2021 Joint Venture Agreement between the Cebu City Government and Megawide Construction Corp. for the multi-billion-peso redevelopment of the historic Carbon Public Market.
Vendor groups have repeatedly called on the council to review the agreement, raising concerns about potential rental increases, long-term security of tenure, and relocation plans for affected traders and residents.
Market leaders earlier said that while they are not opposed to modernization, they want safeguards to ensure that small vendors — including ambulant sellers and stallholders — will not be displaced or priced out of the redeveloped complex.
Carbohanong Alyansa stressed that development should benefit, not marginalize, long-standing communities connected to the market.
“Development must uplift the people, not displace them. Carbon is not just a place of business — it is a community, a heritage, and a lifeline for thousands of Cebuano families,” the group said
Carbon-hanong Alyansa/FB
