Kadamay called for a dialogue with Domagoso and the vendors association in the city.
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – New Manila mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso was urged by an urban poor group to protect the livelihoods of the vendors in light of his crusade to clear the streets of Manila.
“Vendors are getting meager income. This comes when they, too, are reeling from the effects of the government’s tax reform package. They would rather address their empty stomachs than comply with the city requirements. How much more that they are being asked to leave?” said Kadamay chairperson Gloria Arellano in a statement.
Arellano said the informal sector makes up a large part of the income and livelihood of those residing in urban poor communities as a result of the lack of vital industries in the country that should provide decent-paying jobs. Pushing them further into the peripheries, she added, “only exacerbates their situation.”
The urban poor group said that while they agree with the Manila clean-up, it should not be at “the greater expense of the poorest and most underprivileged citizens.”
“They are not criminals and they should never be treated as such. There are plenty of solutions out there instead of just driving them away,” Arellano said.
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