The Negros Occidental Provincial Legal Office has requested the Bacolod City government to clear vendors operating along North Capitol Road, citing traffic congestion, sanitation issues, and security risks.
In a letter to City Legal Officer Karol Joseph Chiu dated June 5, Provincial Legal Officer Alberto Nellas Jr. emphasized that public streets must remain dedicated to their primary purpose – vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
“Any permission granted for private use should not unduly impair public access, convenience, safety, or the general welfare,” Nellas said.
Nellas raised the following concerns on the vendors’ presence:
- Traffic and Safety: The stalls obstruct the regular flow of traffic, causing lane congestion and posing safety hazards to both motorists and the vendors themselves.
- Pedestrian Access: The continuous operation of these stalls has heavily blocked sidewalks intended for pedestrians.
- Sanitation: Litter and waste materials have accumulated in the area, deteriorating the surroundings and creating an extra maintenance burden for the provincial government.
- Vandalism and Security: The area has seen a rise in security challenges, including vandalism and damage to province-owned properties, specifically the public restrooms inside the Provincial Capitol Lagoon.
- Financial Security Risk: Because the vendors are operating close to the Provincial Treasurer’s Office (PTO), the province expressed concern over the security of sensitive government transactions and public funds regularly handled by the office.*