Magay

Magay, Zamboanga City Public Market

Sky View of Magay Public Market

Magay flourished back then till 1998

Buildings within Magay Public Market

Police station located to the right side or 15 meters north of Magay public market.

The Magay Market, a once dynamic and very safe place to shop. A 24/7 supermarket catering to the rich and poor. Farmers from all over will bring their harvest to magay for marketing. There was no need for permanent stalls. Just pick an empty spot on the sidewalk. The government worker will come along and have you buy a permit for one day. These farmers sold wholesale and usually the stall operators will buy them out before sunrise comes.

It was not just the farmers who showed in the wee hours of the morning. Folks from Tetuan, Sta. Maria, Canelar and even from Sta. Barbara would take the abundant harvest from their backyard mango trees to Magay.

Even people from distant Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and Basilan would bring their Lanzones, rambutan, and durian to the Magay market. It was great place of commerce and trade.

The Zamboanga City police headquarters was its anchor for safety. People felt safe when they went shopping there. The police department protected Magay. It was foot-patrolled.

Magay from 1998 to 2016

In 1998 farmers were no longer allowed to deliver and sell their produce wholesale in Magay. They were diverted to the bagsakan in Sta. Cruz Market (barangays of Sta. Maria and Camino Nuevo). The idea was to divert the traffic. That should have been only for agricultural products coming from west coast of zamboanga. But the city made that decision to affect the entire city. So the produce coming from the west coast were also diverted to bagsakan.

This created a negative effect on the prosperous magay. Business went down and to make it worse the 24 hour operation was also stopped.

Why does the City Police Department Ignore Magay?

Currently Magay is no longer a safe place after 6pm. This is hard to believe since Magay is only less that 15 meters from the police headquarters of Zamboanga City.

Can you imagine that! Only less than 15 meters from the central police head quarters of zamboanga city and yet it isn't foot patrolled. Magay used to be foot-patrolled by the assigned police officers. The chief of police made sure that Magay was a safe place to go. Well this is not the case anymore. Those were the times when the police chief spoke fluent chavacano. Now the chief does not care.

Why does the Mayor and City Administrator Ignore Magay?

The security lights are not even on at night. Do you think that they would maintain that after several complaints? Nope. The city Mayor, the city administrator and the city police chief just do not care.

This very same place that the mayor and administrator ignore provide much daily income to the city. The city fees collectors march the place on a daily basis to collect vending fees. They are all prompt to collect yet none are prompt to maintain. The covered fish vending area has a roof over it but the roof is tattered and full of holes. When it rains the vendors get wet.

Best Coffee Shops in Magay

Back then you can go downtown at 2am and have a great cup of coffee and do your early bird produce shopping. Now you have to search high and low to find a coffee place open 24/7.

Why Save Magay Market

• Located downtown Zamboanga City. Only less than 15 meters from the Zamboanga City Police Headquarters, where the Chief of Police holds his office.
• There are still hundreds of stores in Magay. All only operating during the day. Completely shuts down by 6PM.
• The people and the businesses want Magay to be open 24/7 but the city will not allow it.
• Revive the market to be the 24/7 market that it used to be for the people of zamboanga (1.2 million) to shop.