Members of the Bulanao Public Market Stall Owners and Vendors and Consumers Association in Tabuk City, Kalinga trooped to the Tabuk City Hall Thursday morning to reiterate their opposition against the demolition of the market and construction of a mall which they believe will displace them.

The market vendors said they were surprised when building materials began arriving at the area.

The vendors via their legal counsel Atty. Errol Comafay appealed to the members of the Tabuk City Council to probe the unloading of the materials delivered by the boom truck of the Tabuk City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC).

They suspect the materials are owned by mall developer XRC, which was said to have entered into a lease agreement with the Tabuk City Local Government Unit (LGU).

The vendors are protesting against the planned demolition of the Bulanao Public Market.

Vendors claim, the plan ‘is anti-poor especially that they are one of the hardly hit people during the pandemic.’

The vendors are asking the City Government to instead fund the development of the market. They are claiming that it will be really hard for them and the market goers if it will be handed to a private developer and be controlled for 25 years or more.