DAVAO CITY – The city government here is gearing for the reopening of the Roxas Night Market on September 12, Mayor Sara Z. Duterte said Tuesday.
In a radio interview, Mayor Sara said the city government has started cleaning and preparing the area and that discussions are ongoing on security measures set to be implemented within the week.
Roxas Night Market was closed on March 12 following the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, displacing hundreds of vendors and massage therapists.
The mayor said health considerations will be paramount during the city’s famed night market.
“We submitted the proposal to our consultant in the Infectious Diseases Specialist (IDS) society. Also, we need to know how to go about with the health protocols inside the night market,” she added.
To further ensure safety, the city government has scheduled a baseline swabbing to all vendors, suppliers, massage therapists as well as the security personnel who will be deployed in the area.
“We need the baseline swabbing as per instructed by the doctors. And we will reopen at a 25-percent capacity with the vendors taking turns every two weeks,” she added.
The mayor also reminded the Dabawenyos to continuously pray “for the eternal repose” of the victims of the 2016 Roxas Night Market bombing, which will also be commemorated on Wednesday (September 2).
The bombing left 17 people dead and 69 others wounded.-PNA