Effective Saturday, August 16, 2025, the city government will strictly enforce the 4am to 7pm market hours at the main public market as part of the move to promote law and order and improve revenue collection.

At the same time, combined personnel from the City Administrator’s Office, City Treasurer’s Office and Internal Audit will be posted at the 2 market entrances – J.S. Alano Street (main entrance) and Don Pablo Lorenzo Street (for fish brokers).

Exit gate is located beside the Sunken Garden area.

Chief of Staff and Secretary to the Mayor, Celso Lobregat said the City Administrator’s Office will conduct an inventory of the products brought in to the market while the City Treasurer’s Office take charge of the collection of fees. The Internal Audit will monitor the procedure and its compliance with Ordinance 2012-165, the amended market ordinance of the city.

Lobregat on Friday morning met with City Treasurer Romelita Candido, Executive Assistant on Market Affairs Ret. BGen Demy Tejares, representatives from the Market Superintendent’s Office, Internal Audit and other concerned agencies to come up with urgent and bold measures to improve operations at the main public market.

All these measures will be in effect for a period of 45 days to establish a benchmark on market collection and to ensure that all procedures are compliant with the existing ordinance, Lobregat said. These form part of Mayor Khymer Olaso’s continuing efforts to improve market operations and promote order, safety and sustainability of local economy, he added. (details and photos: Fatima Jubail/ Jen Lucero)