Gaisano seen to boost Carmen economy

A cashier attends to a customer during the grand opening of Metro Supermarket in Carmen, Cebu. (CDN PHOTO/CHOY ROMANO)

WITH the first Gaisano Metro Supermarket opening in their municipality, Carmen Mayor Martin Gerard Villamor sees more economic activity happening soon and realizing their goal of becoming a first class municipality in two to three years time.

Metro Gaisano group opened their first stand- alone Supermarket in Carmen yesterday offering more retail options, jobs and livelihood opportunities to the town’s 50,000 residents.

Villamor said they will be working more with farmers, fishermen and vegetable growers in their municipality for the possibility of supplying the Metro Supermarket.

“Aside from revolutionizing the retail landscape here. Metro has helped create jobs for our people with majority of their manpower in the store living here. Some are also supplying them like Bounty Fresh.

We will work with improving the quality of vegetables grown here to pass the requirements of Metro so that they can also supply them,” said Villamor.

Villamor said that the municipality is currently earning P75 million annually and with new investments like the Metro store, they expect to generate more income.

“The bulk water will also start by June and we have continued growth in other sectors like our industrial sector through the 12 hectares industrial park. We see all these developments helping us achieve our goal to become a First Class town within two to three years,” said Villamor.

They are employing 85 people in the store, 80 percent of them are locals, said Christian Nervegno, Metro Retail Group managing director.

“We will be working more with them to develop local suppliers,” said Nervegno.

Nervegno said the Carmen Supermarket is the 42nd store of the whole group which includes the Hypermarkets, Fresh ‘n Easy, Department Stores and Supermarkets.

“This brings us closer to our 100 stores goal by 2017,” he said.