Hundreds of Carbon Market vendors protested anew on Briones Street, Cebu City on February 5 to demand a review or total junking of the market’s privatization plan. Cebu2World Development Inc.’s (C2W) Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) with the city’s local government privatized and granted market management to C2W.

The local government of Cebu City signed the JVA with Megawide Construction Corporation on January 11, 2021. The agreement was transferred to C2W on May 27, 2021.

Led by the Carbonhanong Alyansa alang sa Reporma ug Bahandianong Ogma sa mga Nanginabuhi (Carbon Alliance for Reform and Prosperous Future for People Making a Living), the vendors and their supporters expressed fear that privatization will completely dispossess them of their livelihoods. The alliance is composed of three organizations in Carbon Market, nearby residents whom privatization will evict, and supporters.

They held the action in time with the forum and “consultation” held by C2W Megawide regarding the market’s privatization, which the corporation disguises under the label “redevelopment” or improvement. The protesters stormed the forum and raised their calls.

The alliance denounced the corporation’s rushed construction in the market, the fake “consultation,” and its plan to collect rent fees. In a letter to the local government of Cebu City on January 27, C2W announced collecting rent from vendors in the market starting February 15.

The alliance also called on the local government, particularly the 17th Cebu City Council, to conduct a full review of the JVA, which should be scrapped if the review proves it is a major disadvantage to Cebu people. The JVA’s constitutionality was also questioned before the Supreme Court through a January 16 petition for certiorari.

Anakbayan-Cebu supported Carbonhanong Alyansa’s continuing struggle, saying the company cannot escape the anger of the people, especially Carbon vendors, who know that privatization is just a scheme for a few businessmen to amass huge profits.

“Anakbayan-Cebu supports the people of Carbon in opposing the project that will raise rent and prices of goods, and disposess vendors of livelihood,” the group declared. They joined the alliance’s call to scrap the JVA and urged the local government to implement policies that would ensure the livelihood and democratic rights of the Cebuanos.

Confronting privatization strengthened Carbonhanong Alyansa’s unity to defend and protect Carbon Market and to oppose any measure that would harm the vendors, communities, and public interest. “Unity is our strength, and unity will be the key to our victory,” the alliance stated.

Around 12,000 vendors and workers will lose their stalls with the market’s privatization. The construction of new buildings will also demolish about 700 households in the neighboring Sitio Bato, Barangay Ermita.