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By Ernie B. Esconde, Correspondent
SAMAL, Bataan: Placard-bearing
demonstrators expressed outrage over the high fees and alleged
corruption in the Samal public market on Friday, insisting though
that their protest action was not politically motivated.
The rally crowd was composed of
women, fishermen, tricycle drivers, vendors and farm workers marched
around the agricultural town from the public market to barangays San
Roque, Tabing-Ilog, Daan-Bago, portions of San Juan, Ibaba and Sta.
Lucia.
A long line of tricycles stopped
their trips and joined the marchers despite the scorching heat of
the sun. Observers said the rally was reminiscent of mass actions
commonly held in the town in the 1980s.
Mario Carrasi, spokesman of the
Samal Market Vendor’s Association, said they were forced to hold
the rally because of the alleged inaction of the municipal
government in addressing their concerns.
“Sobrang taas ng sinisingil
nila at nahihirapan kaming maka-recover ng aming puhunan na
napupunta lamang sa renta at goodwill money,” Carrasi, who owns
two stalls in the market, said.
He said that they could not wait
although it is election period but he made it clear that their
action was not politically motivated. “Dapat inaksiyunan na sana
ng mga kasalukuyang nanunungkulan sapagka’t baka iba na ang
mahalal, eh, sabihin ng mga bagong ito na wala silang kinalaman sa
problema namin,” Carassi said.
The spokesman from San Juan in
Samal questioned the P100,000 goodwill money and the monthly rental
fee of P900 the municipal government collects for a 9-square- meter
stall.
He said that other vendors also
could not afford to pay goodwill money of P35, 000 and rental of P15
a day for a 1 + meter x 1 + meter tiled table for selling fish.
Some rallyists alleged of some
corruption in the construction of the public market that Carrasi
said costs P24.5 million including the purchase of the lot. He even
showed an “imburnal” in the middle of the market with stagnant
dirty water and waste. “Itong imburnal halos ka-level ng ilog kaya
hindi umaagos ang dumi palabas,” he said.
Reporters were unable to get the
side of Mayor Rolly Tigas as he was busy with his campaign for
reelection. The mayor said he was available on March 24. There are
three other mayoral candidates besides Tigas in the small town.
The other candidates are Ross
Navarro, brother of Ombudsman Merceditas Guttierrez; former mayor
Teodoro Albelda and Vice-Mayor Aida Macalinao.
 --Ernie
B. Esconde
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