Former President and Manila Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada said that it’s easy for him to remove the vendors anytime like what his successor Isko Moreno is currently doing.
However, he explained that during his term as the Mayor, he’s also thinking about the welfare of the unfortunate illegal vendors if they’re going to lose their only business.
According to Estrada, he wanted to ensure that the City Government of Manila could give new businesses among the illegal vendors before clearing operations.
“Kung ‘yung sasabihin mo sa’kin na yung mga vendors nalinis, naayos lahat e hindi ko kayang gawin yun hangga’t walang kapalit na hanap-buhay sila,” Estrada said in an interview with GMA News.
“Kayang-kaya. Utusan mo lang hindi ba puwedeng sumunod sa mayor ang pulis saka mga bumbero? Orderan mo lang ‘yan. Sandali lang ‘yun, pero isipin mo naman yung damage na kawawa naman yung mga mahihirap dun lang umaasa sa pagkain nila, sabi ko nga hungry stomach knows no law,” he added.
Estrada also insisted that he’s doing cleaning operations around Manila, but not publicizing it on media like what Moreno is doing.
But according to the current Mayor of Manila, most of the illegal vendors operating around Metro Manila are not poor people because they could afford to bribe the so-called ‘organizers’ to let them operate businesses even in the middle of the streets.
“Let’s be honest, 95 % sa kanila [illegal 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.
“Eddie and Patty”, a slang popularized by the Mayor to refer the people receiving bribes in Manila.