Veggie traders appeal for Baguio to lift truck ban

BAGUIO CITY-- League of Association of La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Area at the trading post in Benguet capital town has renewed its plea to the city government of Baguio to suspend the truck ban for trucks carrying vegetables.

             “May we request you honor to lift the truck ban among the vegetable trucks from Dec. 20 to 31 this year,” said the group’s letter dated December 6 and received by the Office of the City Mayor on Dec. 12.

              The office of Councilor Benny Bomogao, the chairman of the committee on transportation, was also furnished with the letter.

In its letter, the group said, if lifting the truck ban is not possible, the city could issue 30 more truck ban passes to cater to the increase in demand of produce during the holiday season.

In a text message, Agot Balanoy, the group's public relations office, said they hope a respond from the city government any time soon as they expect demand to rise before Christmas and New Year's Day.

Balanoy said December is the peak season of the vegetable industry.

“It is during this time that farmers hope to sell most of their produce since the demand doubles or triples. These vegetables from Benguet and nearby vegetable producing provinces supply key markets as far as Batanes in the north and Palawan and General Santos City in the South,” she said.

Balanoy said the request is to allow a swift delivery of highly perishable vegetables to the consumers.

The Baguio City truck ban ordinance prohibits trucks from using the roads at the central business district (CBD) during rush hours from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The La Trinidad trading post where the vegetables are brought by farmers have to pass several roads at the CBD to reach Marcos Highway, the primary road leading out of the region to its destinations.

While there are roads like at the diversion roads in Suello Village and at the Balakbak Barangay, trucks carrying tons of vegetables are unable to maneuver due to the steepness of the road, posing risks not only to the truckers but to the residents in the area.

Balanoy said time is of the essence in delivering the vegetables because a delay will cause a deterioration in the quality- a loss to the farmers and a higher price for the consumers to recoup for the losses. (PNA)