by Mark B. Laride
PAGADIAN CITY — "Showcase and sell your products in the food terminal, " says Agriculture and Marketing Services (AMAS) Director Leandro H. Gazmin during the recent project launching in Barangay Kapamanok, San Pablo, Zamboanga del Sur. Director Gazmin recognized the potential resources of Kapamanok which if harnessed could serve as a food buffer not only to the municipality but also to its adjacent municipalities.
With a project cost of one million pesos, the Municipal Food Terminal (MFT) which is known before as the Bagsakan Center, Director Gazmin turned over the project to San Pablo Mayor Belman Mantos who assured "we will strengthen this food depot and let this grow with our products."
Governor Antomio H. Cerilles in his message read by Board Member Eriberto A. Sumalinog said "this Municipal Food Terminal will help our farmers and fisherfolk sell their produce without manipulation from the middlemen. It will also encourage them to observe healthy lifestyle by patronizing our farm products using organic fertilizers."
The MFT is a project of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in partnership with the local government of San Pablo. Mr. Ferdinand Gamorot, Chief of DA-Agribusiness Marketing Assistance Division said the project was done in an 80-20 counterparting scheme and commended barangay Kapamanok and the LGU of San Pablo for their full support.
To date, only two MFT's have been opened (Diplahan, ZSP and San Pablo, ZDS) and four are still underway for operation.
On the other hand, the Barangay Food Terminal (BFT), also a food terminal project of DA in partnership with the LGU in providing market for farmer's produce. It is a barangay-based food depot and distribution system that offers safe, quality and affordable agri-fishery products to consumers at a barangay level. Since 2008; it was known as Barangay Bagsakan. Thus far, there are already 54 BFT's established in the entire Zamboanga Peninsula. (JPA/GCC/DA9 -PIA9/Pagadian City)
