LA TRINIDAD, Benguet– The provincial board approved on first reading a proposed ordinance mandating the clustering of municipalities for the entry of vegetables in the large-scale vegetable trading centers of the province.
The ordinance authored by Board member Nestor Fongwan, Jr. states that the provisions will apply to all vegetables being brought into the existing and future large-scale vegetable trading centers located in the province.
Under Fongwan’s proposed ordinance, vegetables being brought in the large-scale trading centers of the province will be clustered based on their municipality of origin while Cluster I to be the towns of Buguias, Atok, Kabayan, Sablan, Itogon, La Trinidad and Kapangan, while Cluster 2 will be composed of the municipalities of Mankayan, Kibungan, Bakun, Tuba, Tublay and Bokod.
Further, vegetables originating from the municipalities outside Benguet will be included in the clustering where Bauko, Mountain Province will be included under Cluster 1 while Tinoc, Ifugao will be part of Cluster 2.
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The ordinance stipulates that the schedule of the entry of vegetables to the trading centers shall be Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for Cluster 1 while Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays will be for those towns in Cluster 2.
Fongwan proposed the creation of a committee to take into consideration of all matters concerning the implementation of the measure and for them to submit their recommendations to the provincial governor for his consideration.
Among the committee’s functions include the periodical evaluation of the clustering and schedules of the municipalities and submit their comments and recommendations on the matter for the possible revision or amendment of the clustering and schedules to conform to the needs of the farmers and the people transacting business in the large-scale vegetable trading centers.
With the purpose of implementing physical distancing, the provincial inter-agency task force for the management of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases recently implemented the clustering of the municipalities and giving them certain schedules to deliver and unload their vegetable produce in the large-scale trading centers in the capital town.
Fongwan claimed the clustering implemented by the provincial task force got numerous positive reactions from the people of the province not only because of its main purpose of implementing physical distancing but also its effect on the stability of the supply of vegetables as well as the stability of the vegetable buying prices.
He added the proposal aims to advance the positive effects of the ongoing clustering of the entry of vegetables to the different large-scale trading centers, particularly its valuable contribution to the regulation of vegetable supplies and prices and the contribution of the clustering to the management of vehicular traffic, both rebounding to the promotion of the general welfare of the people.
The task force was compelled to implement the clustering of the entry of vegetables in the trading centers because of the reported oversupply of vegetables that started last March.
By Hent
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