The UP Office of the Vice President for Development (OVPD) agreed that no new stores will open in DiliMall and no demolition orders, within their power, will be sanctioned until their sit-down dialogue with DiliMall’s third party master leaseholder, CBMS-RMCS, and the UP Shopping Center Stallholders Association on November 27.
Former stallholders from the Shopping Center have been situated at the Old Tennis Court just behind DiliMall. In the months leading up to the mall’s purported grand opening, the former stallholders have reported demolition attempts despite no prior warnings.
The OVPD clarified that some previous demolition attempts were ordered by the Department of Public Works and Highways, and were thus out of the office’s control.
The meeting and other commitments were decided in an impromptu dialogue between the UP Not For Sale Network and Vice President for Development Daniel Peckley after the mobilization yesterday in protest of the opening of Robinsons Easymart, Dilimall’s first establishment.
When questioned about the integrity of the contract between the UP administration and the third-party leaseholders, Peckley insisted that the agreement is legally binding and challenged the crowd to file a complaint if they found any legal infirmities.
The UP Not For Sale Network is currently preparing to exhaust all legal means to ensure the upholding of the 2004 Memorandum of Agreement and report any possible irregularities with the CBMS-DiliMall contract, as shared by Kristian Mendoza to the Collegian.
UP President Angelo Jimenez also faced the groups after the foiled ribbon-cutting of the grocery, saying that there is no need for the protest since there already have been numerous dialogues concerning the community’s calls for space.
“We are trying to solve all of your problems. Marami tayong nilagay na espasyo para sa komunidad at gagawa pa tayo ng marami,” he said.
But the crowd immediately denounced his statement, exclaiming that no resolution was settled despite the few dialogues held between the administration and the stallholders and vendors.
“Inalagaan namin upang mapanatili ang mababang presyo para sa mga estudyante. Ngayon, sa pagpasok natin sa DiliMall, hindi na natin mabibigay ang presyo para sa estudyante dahil maghahabol kami sa gastos,” Edward Fernando, President of the UP Shopping Center Stallholders Association, said during the protest.●
