Quezon City District 2 Councilor Winnie Castelo has renewed his call for a moratorium in rent payments for stallholders and vendors in all public markets in Quezon City.
Castelo, who is running for vice mayor under the Malayang Quezon City team of mayoral candidate Mike Defensor, has introduced Proposed Ordinance No. 485 in the city council.
“This measure also aims to shield them from evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind in their rental fees.”
Castelo said the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected the livelihood of the people, including market vendors and stallholders, whose customers have decreased due to lockdown and mobility restrictions.
He said the lockdowns have resulted in the loss of income of vendors and closure of many market stalls in Quezon City.
He said the proposed rental payment moratorium aims “to alleviate the impact of the pandemic on market vendors and stallholders and enable them to maintain their business and means of livelihood amid the raging health crisis.”
“This measure also aims to shield them from evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind in their rental fees,” Castelo added.
The moratorium would be a big financial help to vendors and stallholders, he stressed.
For stallholders in private markets and similar establishments, Castelo urged the owners of these businesses to likewise extend similar relief to their stall tenants.
He pointed out that it would also allow them to keep their prices low to the benefit of consumers.
For stallholders in private markets and similar establishments, Castelo urged the owners of these businesses to likewise extend similar relief to their stall tenants.
Proposed Ordinance No. 485 would cover all public markets in Quezon City. However, it would not apply to supermarkets, hyper-marts, minimarts, groceries, and similar establishments.
Two other city councilors – Karl Edgar Castelo of District 5 and Melencio Castelo Jr. of District 6 – co-authored the measure.
The Defensor-Castelo tandem have unveiled a P17-billion economic recovery roadmap, which calls for direct financial assistance to the poor and other vulnerable sectors, new infrastructure projects and improved pandemic responses.
