Students, educators, advocates, and visitors gathered at the University of the Philippines Cebu on May 22 for KINABUHI: Bagsakan sa UP, an exhibit and community event that spotlighted the stories, struggles, and significance of Carbon Market amid ongoing concerns over its privatization.
Officially opening at 12:00 noon at the UP Cebu Admin Kiosks, the event transformed the venue into a space for reflection and dialogue through photographs, storytelling, and discussions centered on the lived realities of vendors and workers from Carbon Market.
The program opened with solidarity messages from various speakers, including Kenneth Louise Bendol, NSTP project leader; Jovelyn Sipalay, chairperson of Carbon-hanong Alyansa; and Dan Ian Niño Jaducana, Vice President for Faculty of the All UP Academic Employees Union–UP Cebu. In their messages, the speakers emphasized the importance of recognizing the lives and labor of Carbonhanons and preserving Carbon Market as an accessible public space for ordinary Sugbo-anons.
Throughout the day, attendees engaged with the exhibit featuring photographs that documented the everyday realities of Carbon Market—its vendors, workers, routines, and the challenges confronting the community. The exhibit aimed to bring the experiences of Carbonhanons closer to students and visitors, foregrounding narratives often overlooked beyond the marketplace.
In the afternoon, a situationer led by Ricky Gomez of Carbon-hanong Alyansa deepened discussions on the current state of Carbon Market, particularly the concerns surrounding privatization and its potential impact on vendors whose livelihoods depend on the space.
The discussion revisited Carbon Market’s historical significance in Cebu while raising critical concerns on accessibility, displacement, and the future of a market long regarded as a vital public space serving communities across the city and neighboring regions.
More than an exhibit, KINABUHI: Bagsakan sa UP became a venue for conversation and collective reflection, bringing together students and community members in understanding the realities faced by Carbonhanons and the continuing calls to protect Carbon Market as a public space.
Photo from KINABUHI Facebook Page