SOME sidewalk vendors around the Redemptorist Church in Baclaran, Parañaque City are defying the new vending scheme being implemented by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino on Tuesday admitted that some sidewalk vendors are still resisting and continue to peddle their wares in the vicinity of the Redemptorist Church.

“May iba talagang vendors na nandadaya dahil kapag umalis na ang tao natin ang iba bumabalik sa dating pwesto [Some vendors are scrupulous because they tend to go back and continue with their activity once our personnel have gone in the area],” Tolentino told reporters in an interview.

The MMDA chief also received reports that some of the vendors were not wearing the MMDA-issued ID cards allowing them to hawk their wares at designated spots in the area.

Under the scheme, the number of vendors in the area each day will be progressively reduced to 350 from an average of 1,000 wherein they will be putting up their stalls in rotation basis.

During Sundays, vendors would not be allowed to sell so that they and the MMDA can clean the area of any garbage left behind from the previous days.  

Tolentino led the launching last week of  the vending scheme aimed at weeding out illegal vendors and address the chaotic traffic situation that has existed in the area for years.

For her part, MMDA General Manager Corazon Jimenez said she even received text messages from unidentified persons warning that the scheme would fail.

“May mga text na nagwa-warning na hindi magtatagumpay ang MMDA sa pagpapatupad ng nasabing plano [I have been receiving text messages warning that MMDA would not succeed in the implementation of the scheme],” she added.

Despite the warning, Jimenez said the agency is still hopeful that the scheme is the right solution to the problem in the area.