Friday, February 15, 2008
Farmers, bry. officials get stalls
FARMERS and barangay officials in 17 Cebu City mountain barangays were awarded stalls in different public markets yesterday.
Recipients were grateful for Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s program but during the turnover ceremony yesterday, they also asked him to improve farm-to-market roads.
Babag Barangay Captain Rita Sabal, who will operate one of the six stalls awarded to the barangay, said transportation of goods will be faster and easier once the roads are repaired.
Osmeña pledged more funding for road improvements and heavy equipment once the City gets additional payment for the sale of a North Reclamation Area property and the South Road Properties (SRP).
Valentine’s gift
The mayor personally awarded the stalls to the farmers and barangay officials at the Ramos Public Market yesterday afternoon, which he said is his Valentine’s Day gift to them.
City Market Administrator Raquel Arce said the “Gasa sa Gugma ni Tommy Osmeña Alang sa mga Maguuma sa Kabukiran sa Syudad sa Sugbo” was launched to allow farmers to sell their products in the lowlands at a lesser cost.
“I don’t want any farmer in the mountain barangays to pay any amount to any barangay official or to anyone just so they can bring their goods downtown... In the end, maalkanse lang sila sa (they will lose money on) transportation because of all these middlemen,” Osmeña told the farmers during the turnover ceremony.
Farmers from 17 barangays will get stalls at the Ramos market, Carbon Units I and II market and other public markets in the urban area.
Osmeña said he will leave it to barangay officials to decide who will own the stalls, but he also reminded them to give farmers a chance to operate market stalls.
Among the recipients are Barangays Tabunan, Sapangdaku, Malubog, Kalunasan, Bonbon, Agsungot, Babag, Sudlon I and II, Pungol Sibugay, Pulangbato, Paril and Sinsin.
Future profits
But in Babag, Barangay Captain Sabal said she preferred to give the stalls to barangay officials who are also farmers. Among the recipients of the six stalls are Babag’s nutrition scholars, barangay tanods, councilor, a barangay lupon member and Sabal herself.
Sabal said she plans to sell vegetables and flowers in her stall.
“Hopefully, the farmers will earn more once they start selling directly to the consumers in the market because they will no longer have to pass through the middlemen,” Arce said of the project.
If the farmers are successful in this program, Osmeña said City Hall will also organize a transportation system that will make the transport of their goods cheaper and more efficient.
The City will also train them in packaging and refrigeration of fruits and vegetables so they can supply directly to different establishments in the city. (LCR)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (February 15, 2008 issue)
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