27 Sept 2019 – HOW ARE THEY COPING NOW, THE INFORMALS DISPLACED BY CLEARING OPERATIONS? The public, long-suffering from disruptions by sidewalk vendors and other informal workers, applauded clearing operations by new-found enthusiasm of local governments. Read more.

27 Sept 2019 – HOW ARE THEY COPING NOW, THE INFORMALS DISPLACED BY CLEARING OPERATIONS? The public, long-suffering from disruptions by sidewalk vendors and other informal workers, applauded clearing operations by new-found enthusiasm of local governments. Read more.

Where are these informals now? Have they been provided with alternative selling and operations spaces? How are they coping with lost or severely-curtailed livelihood? What has happened to their customers?

i pass by this narrow street everyday — sidewalk vendors, tricycles, their customers and riders, pedestrians, hangers-on, competing with cars and assorted vehicles. The sidewalk vendors were cleared — taking away their livelihood, depriving their poor worker-customers of inexpensive food and fare, driving erstwhile ‘clients’ to less-cheap I-know-not-where.

Ung mahihirap lang ang kaya nyo! [You only pick on the poor!]

We would like to see parallel action on the larger takeover of sidewalks and streets by the rich. All over Metro Manila, we see the obstructions by parked vehicles, fenced garages, extensions of residences, eating places, business operations, gardens, and the like. In many places, establishments and their contraptions have taken over much of the sidewalks, forcing pedestrians to walk on the streets. No clearing operations here?

Pu…….!!! Even in obstructions, inequality persists, with the rich getting away with all these wholesale takeover of public spaces.