Town mayor to study agri center permits

Friday, December 9, 2011

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Mayor Greg Abalos will deliberate on granting licenses to the newly opened farmers center in Puguis.

Abalos said the Farmers Commodities and SME Center Incorporated (FCSMECI) should seek authority from the council to be able to operate.

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Abalos said standard business licenses will also be applied for by the center but said, “Never was it mentioned to me that it was going to be a trading post.” The mayor hinted the center may not be granted a license as trading post.

Abalos said if the plan of the FCSMECI was to build another trading post, then plans should have been discussed extensively with local officials.

The center opened last week with seven cooperatives banding together for business development. The cooperatives include the La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Buyagan Operators and Drivers Association Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Tomay Credit Cooperative, Bad-ayan Buguias Development Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Progressive Citizens Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Kibungan Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative and Benguet Organic Arabica Enterprises comprises.

On Monday, the local council summoned FCSMECI president Miguel Luma-ang for an audience acting on a request from Abalos.

The councilors in sync with sentiments of the mayor requested Luma-ang to request for an authority to operate from the body, to which the farmer center chief said he would comply to.

However, Abalos said putting up a trading post, although not against any law, might conflict with existing centers within the municipality.

Abalos reiterated proper consultation should have been made especially when he was made to believe the center would be used only as a parking facility.

Both the legislative and the executive branches of Trinidad have the power to control issuances of business within their jurisdiction.