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Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Veggie dealers seek truck-ban free lanes
By Jane Cadalig
EVEN with the implementation of the government's food lane project to facilitate the transport of agricultural commodities to the Metro Manila markets, businessmen from Benguet on Tuesday said some areas do not recognize the project.
This as Agriculture Secretary Domingo Panganiban asked Caloocan City Mayor Enrico Echiverri to allow vegetable delivery trucks from Benguet to pass through his area of jurisdiction.
Panganiban wrote Echiverri following a communication from La Trinidad Mayor Nestor Fongwan on problems encountered by Benguet traders.
Traders and truckers delivering highland agricultural crops to the Metro Manila areas complained that they are banned from passing through C3 Road in Caloocan City despite bearing official food lane stickers issued by the agriculture department and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
"We would like to appeal to your office that producers and truckers bearing food lane stickers be allowed passage along C3 Road in Caloocan. These vehicles have to pass through the road to avoid incurring additional transport expenses which could translate into higher retail prices of basic agri-fishery products," Panganiban said in a letter to Echiverri.
The food lane project was implemented in 2004. Metro Manila mayors entered into an agreement to designate truck-ban free lanes or food lane routes along the main thoroughfares within their respective areas of jurisdiction.
The project was implemented to ensure that agricultural crops and fishery products are delivered on time to Manila markets.
(May 24, 2006 issue)
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