LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno assured Benguet provincial officials and vegetable farmers and traders that the different markets in the country’s capital will continue to sell highland vegetables even at the height of the celebration of the Feast of the Sto. Niño in Tondo on January 17-19, 2020.
Moreno met with Benguet Provincial Officials led by Governor Melchor D. Diclas and vegetable farmers and traders upon the initiative of Mayor Romeo K. Salda to thresh out earlier reports on the planned closure of roads leading to the Divisoria Market by the Manila City Government that would cause the temporary stoppage of the sale of highly perishable vegetables from the province.
Diclas claimed that Mayor Moreno assured vegetable farmers and traders that it will be business as usual for them in Metro Manila during the height of the festivities although there will be slight adjustments in the area where they will be allowed to sell the highland vegetables coming from the La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post.
“We are grateful to Mayor Moreno for his timely intervention in the concern raised by our vegetable farmers and truckers. He was able to see the impact of the proposed closure of Divisoria to the local vegetable industry that is why appropriate adjustments were made to ensure the continuous sale of vegetables even during the height of their festivities in Tondo,” Diclas stressed.
Earlier, local vegetable farmers and traders expressed concern on the serious negative effect of the closure of Divisoria to the province’s vegetable industry considering that traders are bringing to Divisoria some 500 tons of assorted vegetables daily which would mean the significant reduction in the volume of vegetables that will be transported to the Metro Manila area.
Mayor Salda immediately got in touch with the office of Mayor Moreno to arrange the aforesaid meeting that was moved to around 10 am Wednesday instead of the original 6 pm of the same day.
Salda was not able to attend the aforesaid meeting that he arranged after the same was moved earlier because of some pressing appointments that he had to attend in the municipality.
Wholesale buying prices of vegetables at the trading post drastically dropped over the past several days following reports on the planned closure of Divisoria for 3 days to give way for the feast of Tondo that compelled farmers to even go to the extent of donating their harvested crops to charitable institutions in the municipality due to the drastic decline in the prices of vegetables.
The governor stated that with the assurance of Mayor Moreno on the continuous transactions in the Divisoria area although with slight adjustments on the roads that will be used for such purpose, vegetable farmers and traders will surely have a peace of mind with the hope that the wholesale buying prices of highland vegetables will go back to its previous status prior to the occurrence of the dilemma.
Diclas was accompanied by some municipal officials of La Trinidad and concerned stakeholders of the La Trinidad Trading Post who wanted to listen to the commitments of the Manila City Mayor.
By DEXTER A. SEE