Amid oil price hikes and fewer customers, fish and flower vendors at Cebu City's Carbon Market are seeing sharp drops in earnings. Product prices like shrimp have risen by up to P100 since March 17, 2026. Transportation costs for fish carts have also doubled.
Fish vendors at Cebu City's Carbon Market, like Josephine Salientes, report scant earnings after covering rising costs. "There is little left in our salaries. Adding to the fact that rice prices have also increased. It’s pitiful that, instead of earning a little extra, this is not possible due to the fish. It’s expensive," Salientes said in Cebuano. Fish cart transportation costs have doubled from P15,000 to P30,000 due to oil price hikes. As a result, her son has paused studies for the semester, and her husband may need to work.
Relocation since July 2022 demolitions has worsened matters, moving vendors from near Freedom Park to in front of the Unit 1 building. Selling hours are now limited to 3 p.m. to 12 a.m., compared to the previous 4 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Flower vendors face similar transport cost increases. Annabelle Olanolan noted higher expenses for flowers from Davao, Manila, and Mantalongon due to gasoline. Peak daily earnings reach P10,000 to P20,000 during seasons like Valentine’s, but March sales are slow at P500 per bundle. "I had to ask for snacks from my neighbor," Olanolan said, with no income over the past three days.
Mary Gabuna awaits Holy Week bulk church purchases but fears flower spoilage. "We would have to wait. [But] the flowers, we’re at a loss already," she said. Vendors expect relocation to a renovated, smaller-stalled Freedom Park by year-end.
This stems from a Cebu City government deal with Cebu2World Development Inc., a Megawide Construction Corporation subsidiary. On March 17, around 2,000 vendors and advocates rallied for a contract review, as reported by Rappler.
