Street vendors call on next Manila mayor to provide permanent stalls

SEVERAL CITY of Manila street vendors urged whoever will win the 2025 Manila mayoral elections to provide permanent stalls to address long-standing settlement issues in the city’s public markets.  

Often operating without fixed locations, street vendors from Divisoria, Quiapo and Quinta markets expressed hope that they could get proper selling spaces for their goods without the fear of being driven out by clearing operations.  

Among them is Allen Duran, who has been selling food and clothing items in Divisoria for 38 years. He said that he experienced having his products confiscated by police officers while hawking around the district during former Manila mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso’s term, causing him to transfer vending places frequently.  

Although the current administration has become more lenient, Duran noted that the threat remains.  

“Sa panahon ni Isko, wala ka rin talaga. Ultimo naglalako ako, hawak-hawak ko, inaagaw ng pulis ‘yan. Tapos, kapag nakuha, hindi na sa amin ibibigay [‘yung paninda],” Duran said. 

Opinion polls show Domagoso still leading the mayoral race with 63% of 1,200 respondents in the latest OCTA research survey naming him as their preferred mayoral candidate. He outpaced 10 other candidates, including incumbent Manila City Mayor Maria Sheilah “Honey” Lacuna-Pangan (18%) and Tutok to Win party-list Rep. Samuel “SV” Versoza Jr. (16%). 

Divisoria had the highest number of street vendors who applied for hawkers’ permits in 2024, with the city’s Bureau of Permits receiving 2,668 applications, data obtained by The Capital showed. Quiapo came in second with 893, while Sta. Ana had the least number of applications, with just 15. 

As of this year’s first quarter, 1,891 and 584 permit applications were recorded in Divisoria and Quiapo, respectively. Meanwhile, Sta. Ana logged only one. 

A hawkers’ permit is a document issued to “qualified vendors” that helps regulate their presence in the city and provides them with a temporary vending site, which can be requested through the Manila City Hall. 

Without a permit and a designated area, vendors selling their products in highfoot-traffic zones are forced to flee or relocate during clearing operations conducted by local officers.  

Balancing priorities  

According to political analyst Dennis Coronacion, the winner in the upcoming mayoral elections must balance policies protecting street vendors’ livelihood while maintaining the city’s cleanliness.  

“You have to strike a balance between livelihood ng vendors and at the same the cultural value, historical value of Manila. Hindi pwedeng i-sacrifice mo yung cultural value dahil gusto mong lang pangalagaan yung interests ng mga vendor. Dapat balanse kasi kapag hinayaan mo yung vendors, papangit yung itsura,” Coronacion said in an interview. 

“Mag-commission sila ng mga researcher. I-designate nila yung isang office nila or councilors nila to look deeply into this matter and mag-conduct ng isang independent objective na study.” 

Amid ongoing issues with overcrowding and market congestion, vendors said improved livelihood policies, particularly concerning stall allocation, would be sufficient.  

“Mapaayos lang [ang kalakaran], okay na sa amin ‘yan,” said Orly Del Rosario, a belt vendor in Divisoria.  

“[Mabigyan] lang kami ng puwesto, okay na kami sa ganon, tapos nasa tamang oras [ang pagbebenta namin].” 

Only source of income 

Despite the challenges of being displaced in the markets, vendors continue to dare the vending policies by finding new areas to sell, often defying regulations to sustain their livelihood.  

While Quinta market vendor Bryan Antipolo acknowledged the importance of keeping the streets clean and organized, vending remains his only source of income—one threatened by clearing operations. 

“Syempre alam mo na ‘pag clearing operations… kailangan talaga malinis ang daan natin. Syempre para rin sa amin ‘yon, para hindi nakakahiya,” Antipolo said.  

“Pero minsan kaming mga vendors, kailangan din namin mabuhay. Kailangan din namin kumain, kaya pilit pa rin kami sa pagtitinda, ganon, puwesto pa rin.”  

Meanwhile, Rosalien Ordinario, a fruit vendor from Divisoria, had a request for the upcoming mayor of Manila: a night market capable of helping them make a living without the fear of getting driven out.  

“Yung tipo na sana, hindi kami magiging basura sa kalsada, bibigyan niya kami ng maayos na kahit na night market,” she said. 

“Sabihin niya, ‘oh alas-kwatro ng umaga latag [ng paninda] sa umaga,’ okay na yun. Basta importante, huwag lang kami mawawalan ng hanapbuhay.” Shane Quiachon and Jeff Andrew Marcelo