Vendors and shoppers at public markets in Cagayan de Oro are slowly seeing cleaner surroundings as new waste management rules become part of daily market routines.
At the public market in Barangay Lapasan, vendors are now required to properly segregate garbage and follow scheduled cleaning operations under the city’s ongoing public market modernization program.
For many sellers, the adjustment has become part of everyday business.
A fish vendor in the Lapasan public market said vendors have not experienced major difficulties following the new system.
“Wala rami gaka-encounter nga kalisod sa pag-segregate sa basura,” she said, adding that market staff now conduct cleaning operations every morning and afternoon on scheduled shifts.
Under the new setup, vendors are expected to properly store and separate their waste before city collectors pick it up.
Assigned personnel reportedly clean the market four times daily to help maintain sanitation, especially in sections where fish, meat, and vegetables are sold.
The vendor recalled that waste management became more difficult during the COVID-19 pandemic when the market experienced a surge of shoppers trying to avoid crowded commercial centers.
Today, she said conditions have become more organized and easier to manage.
At the nearby Agora private market, vendor Annie Gallego said sellers are also cooperating with segregation measures by placing waste in designated containers.
“Kung gina-manage nimo imong stall, naa mi sudlanan, segregated napud,” she shared.
Regular garbage collection and stall cleanups are now part of daily operations in the market.
The city government has been expanding sanitation improvements as part of its broader effort to modernize public markets.
Wastewater treatment facilities have already been introduced in major markets such as Cogon and Carmen to improve cleanliness and reduce environmental risks.
Even in smaller community markets like Lapasan, officials are strengthening waste segregation and cleaning systems to improve public health and create safer spaces for both vendors and consumers.
For residents who shop at local markets daily, the changes may seem simple—but vendors say cleaner surroundings help create a healthier and more comfortable market experience for everyone.
