VENDORS and supporters opposing the redevelopment of the Carbon Public Market staged a satirical Santacruzan parade in Cebu City on Friday, May 29, 2026, calling on the public and the religious community to pray that the modernization project does not lead to privatization.
Protest parade and religious appeal
Members of the Save Carbon Public Market Movement marched from the Iglesia Filipina Independiente Cathedral in Parian to Freedom Park after attending mass. Participants carried placards and prayer notes bearing the messages "Save Carbon Public Market" and "Mama Mary, Pray for Us."
Vendors and residents from Carbon and Sitio Bato, Barangay Ermita wore gowns made from indigenous and recycled materials sourced from the market. The procession transformed the traditional Flores de Mayo celebration into a symbolic protest highlighting the economic uncertainties faced by micro-retailers amid the redevelopment of the historic trading hub.
Movement's stance on modernization
Erwin Gok-ong, former president of the Cebu Market Vendors Development Cooperative, said the activity focused on prayer because the issue has gone beyond politics and legal arguments. He said the group is appealing for divine intervention in the hope that the redevelopment project will not result in privatization of Carbon's operations and management.
"Redevelopment and modernization are welcome, but not privatization," Gok-ong said, reiterating the movement's long-standing position. He stressed that the group supports infrastructure improvements but wants Carbon to remain publicly managed and accessible to ordinary vendors and consumers.
Participants distributed prayer notes to pedestrians and police officers along the route. Some officers accepted the notes while others declined, though Gok-ong said the group understood that police were simply performing their duties.
Executive session on vendor fees
The movement is also preparing for an executive session initiated by City Councilor Pastor Alcover Jr. regarding allegations that certain vendor groups have been collecting excessive fees from traders. The session was called after Mayor Nestor Archival raised concerns over reports that vendors were paying daily collections ranging from P300 to P420.
Gok-ong denied allegations that vendor leaders were enriching themselves through mandatory collections and called for an impartial investigation. He said accusations should be supported by evidence and explained that many of the fees involve optional services such as weighing scales, tables, tents and electricity. He also raised concerns over inconsistencies in official vendor records, noting that registered stallholders ranged from 1,400 to 1,800 between 2016 and 2025, while the total number of vendors, including ambulant traders, is estimated at around 4,000. / CAV with Lee Hashman Patalita & April Vince Villacorta, CNU Interns
