To complement the ongoing transformation of the city’s historic core, Mayor Greg Gasataya led the turnover of 31 newly fabricated, G-Carts (Government Carts) to local plaza vendors on Thursday, May 28.
The initiative ensures that as the physical infrastructure of the plaza levels up, the livelihoods of its longtime stakeholders are elevated right along with it. Rather than displacing the vendors to make way for modernization, the city is integrating them into a more colorful, orderly, and greener urban landscape.
The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) is currently spearheading the plaza’s major rehabilitation, which is expected to wrap up by July 2026—just in time for the MassKara Festival preparations.
The newly deployed G-Carts are strategically designed to match this upgraded, modern environment. Valued at P15,000 each and provided entirely free of charge, the carts feature wheels for easy mobility and dedicated storage compartments to eliminate clutter.
Each cart is equipped with sustainable solar lights, ensuring the plaza remains vibrant and safely illuminated during night market hours.
To complete the transition from informal vending to authorized entrepreneurship, the city is actively processing special permits for the operators.
Gasataya emphasized that true urban renewal means uplifting people, not pushing them out.
“Let’s uplift the dignity of our plaza vendors, as well as other nearby vendors,” Gasataya said. “We do not intend to disrupt the livelihood of our vendors at the plaza. What we want is to provide them with proper venues where everyone can benefit while improving their means of livelihood.”
He added that it is only fitting to protect local vendors and preserve the very site where Bacolod’s economic activity first flourished.
For the members of the Bacolod City Public Vendors Association (BACPUVA), the uniform G-Carts represent a massive shift in how they fit into the plaza’s future.
Gloria Castillano, president of BACPUVA, expressed deep gratitude to the administration for fulfilling a long-held dream: shifting the public perception of vendors from being viewed as “illegal obstructions” to being recognized as a vital, organized part of the plaza’s new charm.
