BY CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
Employees of Center Remnant at the Bacolod Central Market appealed to the city government to grant the business permit application of their employers after the establishment was issued a notice to voluntarily vacate within seven days by the City Legal Office last week.
Regin David, who operates Center Remnant, appealed for the revocation of the notice to vacate and asked that they be granted their application to operate Market Block 136, where the establishment is located.
Jinky Ca-ang said they hope the establishment will be granted a business permit as she fears losing her job. She has been working at Remnant Center for five years and with her husband, a construction worker, not having stable job, Ca-ang worries for their children, the youngest being six months old.
Jojean Salem, who has been employed at the Center for 10 years, said her husband is also a construction worker and they have four children. She also hopes they will be granted a permit so they could continue working.
Georelle Cabales said if they lose their jobs, it will not easy to find a new one due to the pandemic. Some establishments have shut down while some are retrenching their employees.
Berna Arellano, who works at Remnant Center for 17 years, believes that a business-friendly city like Bacolod is trying to entice more investors to come in, so she hopes that the city will grant them a permit.
David yesterday said his application to operate Market Block 136 was denied after the city claims that he is not a direct heir of the owner and also because they have no business permit for 2018 and 2019.
David said he is the grandson of the late Rolando David, Sr., occupant of Market Block 136 since the 1950s, and who operated Center Remnant for several years.
He said that when his grandfather died in July 24, 2019, his heirs resolved to continue the business and entrusted him its management. He applied for the occupancy of Market Block 136 in January after his grandfather’s heirs executed a declaration of heirship and waived their rights on the market block in his favor.
They are updated in the payment of Market Block136 but their payment was not accepted in February. When he inquired with the City Treasurer’s Office, he was informed that their block has a closure order signed by former City Administrator John Orola.
He said he has already delivered payment for business permits for 2018 and 2019 to the Permits and Licensing Division but this was ordered returned by market superintendent.*
