TRADING CENTER. 3rd District Board Member and Provincial Committee Chair on Agriculture Atty. Anañias ‘Jun’ Canlas discusses
the establishment of the provincial trading center for Pampanga farmers and traders along with officials of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP) and representatives from different farm cooperatives in the province. (Photo courtesy of Pampanga Provincial
Information Office)
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Sep. 2 (PIA) -- The provincial government is set to open a trading center that will give farmers and fisherfolks a space to market their products.
The said trade post, which will be the first in the province, will be built in a two-hectare land of the former San Fernando Transport Terminal and Salilungan One-Stop Shop with the help of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and other government agencies.
Governor Dennis Pineda said this aims to boost the agriculture sector in the province, which was affected by the ongoing pandemic.
“The ongoing quarantine restricted the mobility of farmers, causing a delay in agricultural production and price drop. Thus, there is a need for us to aid farmers and fisherfolks in marketing their products,” Pineda said.
Board Member and Provincial Committee Chair on Agriculture Ananias Canlas said the trading center is a project of the Capitol as part of the province’s food security program.
“We will establish this trading post to provide a market for our farmers. This will also serve as their delivery point so that even those from the neighboring areas will be able to go here to buy their products,” Canlas said.
Meanwhile, the City of San Fernando committed to temporarily provide the facility for free.
“Initially, we will let our farmers use the facility for free so that they can start. Once it is fully operational, we will eventually charge a very minimal fee just for the maintenance of the place,” Councilor Celestino Dizon said.
For its part, the AFP assured that it will help speed up the opening of the trade center so that more Filipinos can benefit.
“We will coordinate various efforts with various government agencies as well as non-government organizations. We will include various resources within and outside Region 3, with the provincial government to expedite the establishment of our trading post,” Capt. Ronjay Villarosa said.
The provincial trading center is expected to open to the public on the third week of September. (CLJD/MJSC-PIA 3)
