Manila Mayor Isko Moreno insisted that some of the illegal vendors operating around the streets of his City are not poor people because they could afford to pay a significant amount of money to have an imaginary permit to sell from so-called ‘organizers.’
In an interview on news magazine show Kapuso Mo, Jessica Sojo (KMJS) Moreno revealed that the illegal vendors around Manila are paying more than 30,000 pesos to allow their businesses to operate even in the middle of the street.
In addition, Moreno said that the illegal vendors are required to pay 350-500 per day for “Eddie and Patty”, a slang popularized by the Mayor to refer the people receiving bribes in Manila.
“Let’s be honest, numbenta’y singko porsyento sa kanila [vendors] hindi mahirap,” Moreno said.
“Alam mo kung bakit? If they can afford to pay 30,000 pesos para sa isang maliit na lamesa for rights.. rights lang to sell… they can afford 350 pesos a day and 500 pesos a day para kay “Eddie at Patty’,” he added.
In a separate interview, Moreno also said that he was tried to bribed by P5-M a day just to allow the illegal vendors around Manila to operate.
The offer shocked Moreno, saying that P5-M a day could only be afforded if there are 100,000 vendors around Manila that would pay 50 pesos daily.
To counter the so-called ‘organizers’ Moreno urged the vendors to pay 20 pesos only to the City Government of Manila. But he clarified that they’re not allowed to sell in illegal places anymore despite paying a fee.