QC mulls modernized farm produce distribution center

MANILA, Philippines –  Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista is for the transformation of the Balintawak area into a state-of-the-art meat and agricultural produce trading post to help improve the deteriorating economic activity in the area.

During a meeting with market operators in Balintawak, Bautista underscored the need to revitalize the area and have it redeveloped as Metro Manila’s main distribution center for quality meat and agricultural products that will feature, among others, cold storage facilities, temperature-controlled warehouses, a modern abattoir and sanitation control mechanisms.

According to Bautista, a World Bank consultant had already seen the potential of the Balintawak area, which has been identified by the city government as one of the new growth centers to be developed under the city’s new comprehensive land use plan.

“Unless the development is comprehensive and integrated, the Balintawak-Cloverleaf area will continue to be pockets of blight,” the mayor said.

Bautista said that market owners in Balintawak should work closely with the city government in implementing the redevelopment plan, which is also aimed at addressing various health, environmental and safety concerns in the area.

“The business survival of the market owners in Balintawak is dependent on how well they can work collectively with the city government to revitalize the area,” the mayor said.

On Nov. 5, Bautista ordered the closure of three privately-owned markets in Balintawak as among those establishments which tolerate vendors/stallholders selling doubled-dead meat or “botcha.”

In his directive, the mayor ordered the issuance of cease and desist order to the owners of the three establishments pending compliance with existing rules and regulations on sanitation and safety of the public.

The city’s market development and administration department has been tasked by the mayor to issue the cease and desist order to the operators of MC, Riverview and Cloverleaf markets for violating provisions of the Meat Inspection Code of the Philippines and the city ordinance governing the slaughtering of food animals, meat inspection and meat trade in QC.

To date, Bautista directed market administrator Donato Matias to organize a series of discussions with market owners in Balintawak for the adoption of initiatives aimed at implementing the city’s redevelopment plan for Balintawak.