FREE VEGETABLES. A normal trading day at the La Trinidad Trading Post before the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. The local government of La Trinidad started to give away assorted vegetables to the public in April when the community quarantine limited the mobility and transport of these highly perishable goods. (PNA photo by Liza T. Agoot)
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Farmers and traders have donated millions of pesos worth of unsold assorted vegetables to the local government of this capital town and given away to the public for free.
Mayor Romeo Salda said farmers and traders donated the highly perishable goods because there were no buyers coming over to the trading post for transport to Metro Manila and other parts of the country.
The drop in prices of some vegetables also prompted them to just donate than leave the vegetables rotting in the farms.
The giving away of free vegetables started in April and is ongoing.
When it started, farmers used to receive a small amount of money and a sack of rice in exchange for the vegetables. They also used to get gasoline to at least reimburse the expenses used in transporting the goods. Now, however, farmers no longer get rice, gasoline, or cash.
“It is not payment and not even remuneration for the cost of the vegetables they give. But a little help to them who lost capital for the unsold vegetables,” Salda said.
Salda said the public can go to the municipal grounds fronting the covered court beside the municipal hall building and get vegetables.
Some of the vegetables were also donated to the locked-down barangays of Baguio City for distribution to affected residents. (PNA)
