THE Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (Mafar) and the Ministry of Trade, Investments and Tourism (MTIT) partnered with grocery store owners to deliver essential goods to isolated communities in Basilan province at regular retail prices while absorbing transportation and delivery costs.
MTIT-Basilan Provincial Director Argie Sarco said the collaborative effort of the two agencies is to ease the burden on rural consumers in Basilan province.
Sarco said the deployment of the Mafarlengke and Diskwento Caravan to the villages of Calugusan and Look in Lamitan City last week highlights the two agencies' efforts to shield remote communities from rising commodity costs driven by global oil price increases.
Sarco said Mafar and MTIT have partnered with grocery store owners to bring the two programs directly to distant villages, allowing residents to purchase essential goods at regular store prices without additional delivery charges.
"To help the public, Mafar brought in its Mafarlengke program, while MTIT launched its Diskuwento Caravan. We collaborated with local grocery store owners and asked them to help bring essential goods directly to remote villages at lower cost," Sarco said.
"This means they are selling the items at the same prices as in their main stores, without adding extra charges for delivery to these distant areas," he added.
Sarco noted that in areas such as Calugusan, grocery prices offered through the caravan are lower than those at local public markets because MTIT and Mafar subsidized fuel costs for delivery vehicles, enabling store owners to transport goods without increasing retail prices.
By eliminating price markups and offering select items below standard retail rates, the initiative provides much-needed relief to residents, according to Sarco.
"Bringing the market directly to remote communities also helps families save on transportation costs while improving access to essential goods," he added. (SunStar Zamboanga)