A vendor in Mantalongon, Dalaguete unpacking a basket of vegetables.
CDN FILE PHOTO
CEBU CITY, Philippines —Twenty towns belonging to the fourth and fifth class income classifications will be the first to roll out their Bagsakan Centers to retail affordable basic goods for their constituents during the enhanced community quarantine period.
Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said they have already identified the “poorest” towns to ensure that the constituents there will have a cheaper option for food and other basic needs while they are on ECQ.
Garcia said the province has already ordered 13,000 sacks of rice from the National Food Authority (NFA) which will be retailed utmost at P27.50 per kilo.
Read: Gwen wants bagsakan centers in localities to combat ‘overpricing’ of basic goods
“Nagpili usa ta og 20 ka lungsod. Ang gipili nato kato usa nga gagmay kaayong lungsod nga wala bitaw madaganan nga supermarkets or dako nga grocery,” Garcia said.
“Tungod kay ang NFA daghan og warehouses, gi-identify na ang 20 ka lungsod nga maoy unahon… ug asa nga mga warehouse mokuha ang kada lungsod. Naa na pod ni silay allocation alang sa kada lungsod,” she added.
Garcia said she already signed a purchase request for canned goods that will also be sold at the bagsakan centers.
The governor said the province aims to sell the basic goods for a lower price than the current price ceiling that the Department of Trade and Industry has imposed on these items.
“Mao nang ato nang ibaligya because first of all, people need to know nga dili ni pwede nga handouts na lang tanan. Dili man ni masustain,” Garcia explained.
She also said that selling the products at a price that is affordable for the indigent people will be a way of helping them without snatching the sense of pride of being able to provide for themselves.
“[This] is also to keep that sense of self-pride nga dili na lang gyud puros na lang handouts nga mura na lang silag makililimos intawn. That sense of pride nga kung duna man silay gamay nga kwarta, at least makapalit sila,” Garcia added.