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Cebu province opens ‘bagsakan' centers for subsidized goods

By John Rey Saavedra

April 7, 2020, 6:23 pm

<p><strong>BAGSAKAN CENTERS</strong>. A staff of the Alcantara municipal hall stands beside sacks of National Food Authority rice to be sold at the "bagsakan center" or "Tindahan sa Kapitolyo" in this southern town. Governor Gwendolyn Garcia on Monday (April 6, 2020) announced the opening of Tindahan sa Kapitolyo in five of 20 towns and cities of Cebu that will sell basic commodities at subsidized prices. <em>(Photo courtesy of Alcantara municipal government)</em></p>

BAGSAKAN CENTERS. A staff of the Alcantara municipal hall stands beside sacks of National Food Authority rice to be sold at the "bagsakan center" or "Tindahan sa Kapitolyo" in this southern town. Governor Gwendolyn Garcia on Monday (April 6, 2020) announced the opening of Tindahan sa Kapitolyo in five of 20 towns and cities of Cebu that will sell basic commodities at subsidized prices. (Photo courtesy of Alcantara municipal government)

CEBU CITY – The provincial government of Cebu has launched drop-off or "bagsakan" centers in 20 towns and cities that sell basic commodities at subsidized prices.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said the centers called "Tindahan sa Kapitolyo" will sell basic goods to the Cebuanos who are affected by the enhanced community quarantine which started on Monday in five local government units.

According to her, the province has subsidized the cost of commodities including rice, noodles, milk, edible oil, and coffee, among others, by 10 percent to make them more affordable, especially for the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

“Mao ra ni tindahan nga namaligya nga maalkanse kay di man gyud ta moganansiya ani. Apan di mabawi pud ang nagasto kay ato man gipaubsan og 10 porsiyento agi’g pag-subsidize sa presyo (This is the only store that sells in order not to gain because we don’t intend to profit out of this. The capital could not even be recouped because of the 10-percent subsidy in the prices),” Garcia said.

The subsidized prices will also increase the purchase value of the PHP6,000 emergency cash assistance under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) for 4Ps beneficiaries, she added.

On Monday, the southern towns of Ronda and Alcantara and the northern towns of Borbon, Sogod and Sta. Fe started selling subsidized commodities at their bagsakan centers. The town of Ginatilan started on Tuesday.

Garcia said the mayors have been instructed to maintain social distancing among buyers at the drop-off centers. (PNA)

 

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