Two city officials on Tuesday suggested that the night market of Davao City along Roxas Avenue be transferred on an area wherein toiletries and hand-washing facilities are nearby.
Davao City Councilor Mary Joselle Villafuerte, chairman of the City Council health, and City Health Office (CHO) representative Curtis C. Lazarraga confirmed reports there are some practices in the Roxas Night Market that might poses health hazards to the marketgoers.
Among these reported malpractices are the usage of single-usage plastic cups that are thrown to the garbage bin.
Lazarraga said that the CHO had opposed from the very start giving permits to night markets, because the sanitation of these areas cannot be guaranteed.
“As required by law, the foods that these street vendors sell should be the ones packed, closed and canned,” Lazarraga said.
He said that even if customers are using gloves, they would still want to wash their hands.
Lazarraga also said that food items exposed and sold along roads near the nigh market have higher chances of contamination.
The health inspection office had also reprimanded vendors of the Bankerohan Market, after a photo went viral online, wherein ice cubes were seen being dragged on the streets without proper equipment and storage.
Lazarraga said that most of the ice cubes for chilling storage of fishes are reportedly being used on halo-halo shakes as well.
Villafuerte hopes that the night markets would be transferred in parks, just like in Singapore.
“We hope that they would sell dry goods, or any food that are ready to eat, so that these will not cause tremendous garbage,” the council said.
The councilor also said that the Roxas Night Market needs total improvement, especially in the sanitation aspect.
