SINCE its launch on April 4, 2020, the City Government of San Fernando’s “Mobile Palengke” (mobile market) continues to rove in different barangays of the city to render market services to Fernandinos.
The mobile market is run by the City Market Operations Division (CMOD), led by division chief Mila Rivera, together with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and its subsidiary agency, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).
Rivera said the project aims to bring essential goods closer to every barangay in order to decongest the Old Public Market in Sto. Rosario and New Public Market in Del Pilar, amidst the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine.
“Ang layunin ng proyektong ito ay ma-decongest ang ating mga pangunahing palengke at mabawasan ang bilang ng mga tao na pumupunta doon. Kaya inilapit natin sa bawat barangay ang iba’t-ibang pangunahing produkto para maiwasan na ng mga tao ang paglabas,” she said.
She shared that due to the operations of the “Mobile Palengke,” the volume of people going to public markets was decreased by at least 10%.
Rivera added that the project was launched also to provide livelihood to Fernandino and Kapampangan vendors, local farmers, and their partner private suppliers who, along with DA and BFAR, download the goods to the vendors.
The goods include fruits, vegetables, fish, seafood, meat products, and other basic kitchen necessities.
As of this writing, the “Mobile Palengke” has toured more than 20 barangays and will visit Barangay Pulung Bulu and Lara on May 12; Saguin and Malpitic on May 13; Malino and Panipuan on May 14; and, Del Carmen and San Nicolas on May 15.
Upon the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), local government units have been encouraged to establish mobile markets in communities to vendors earn a living and to prevent overcrowding in public markets.
The CMOD is still contemplating on sustaining the operations of the “Mobile Palengke” even after the lifting of the ECQ. (PR)