published by the Bohol StandardAfter more than four years of seeing a forsaken, abandoned public market, the town is to see again a renewed business activity when a modern public market will rise soon.
New Guindulman mayor-elect Ma. Fe Añana-Piezas said she will have the construction of the demolished public market building as her priority.
In an ambush interview at the Metro Centre Hotel in the city during the League of Municipalities (LMP-Bohol) elections, the mayor said she is now preparing with municipal engineers a new design for the market, far different from what was originally drawn in the time of her predecessor, 3-term mayor Oriculo Granada.
The new market will be high rise, estimated to cost P70-million, and will be funded by government lending agencies who have expressed willingness for a soft, low interest loan for the municipality.
The new administration of mayor Piezas had also generated pledges of funding support for the market construction from the provincial government through Gov. Erico Aumentado, third district congressman Adam Jala and from the Office of Pres. Arroyo.
Piezas won as official bet for mayor under the ruling administration party Lakas-CMD.
The local government has now acquired the go signal to initiate any development in the old public market area after the Supreme Court ruled with finality against the petition of the market vendors association that questioned the validity of an ordinance that lead to their eviction.
While the appeal was under review, a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the high court prevented the former Granada administration to build a new market on the contested site. The Bureau of Fire Prevention later recommended for the demolition of the dilapidated structures as they became fire safety hazard.
The legal battle with vendors and the municipality extended to almost four years when the suit was filed in 2003. But with all legal impediments set aside, the market construction can now be started anytime soon.
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