LA TRINIDAD, Benguet, June 12 — La Trinidad Mayor Romeo Salda on Monday stressed that the old vegetable trading post will not be closed pending completion of the rehabilitation of the facility, to allow economic activity in the area to continue despite construction.
The mayor said that he stands by his commitment to protect the interest of the stakeholders of the La Trinidad Vegetable Trading post, and will not in any way approve the closure of the trading post.
This, he said as he pointed out that consultations with stakeholders will first have to be done to resolve issues and concerns of traders and farmers involving the implementation of the rehabilitation of the old vegetable trading post.
“We’re not closing the vegetable trading post. What we’re doing today is the implementation of rehabilitation project of the trading post, which is a commitment of the Department of Agriculture (DA) head office,” he said.
Earlier, the mayor said that he supports the resolution passed by the Sanggunian Bayan explaining that the ratification of the contract for the improvement of the La Trinidad vegetable trading post will only affect a portion of the facility, and does not require the closure of the whole establishment.
“This project granted by the National Government for the improvement of our Trading Post can be implemented without necessarily closing the facility,” Salda stressed.
He further said that the municipality will lose an estimated income of Php30 million a year if the trading post will be closed, which the local government cannot afford.
“I will stand firm with this position considering the significance of the economic facility as a source of income of the municipal government and foremost, as provider of livelihood for thousands of our constituents,” he said. **Dionisio Dennis Jr./PNA
