Thursday, October 11, 2007 Laviña wants study on modern market By Grace L. Plata
COUNCILOR Peter Laviña is urging the Local Market Committee to study and formulate a program to modernize the public market system in Davao City.
Laviña, chair of the council committee on trade, commerce and industry, said such move is aimed at generating more revenue, provide more livelihood programs and make public markets attractive not only for local consumers but for visitors as well.
The public markets, owned and operated by the city under the economic enterprises unit, play a vital role in trade and commerce and provides livelihood and generate revenue for the city government.
"Unfortunately the state of public markets today leaves so much to be desired in terms of revenue generation, attractiveness to consumers and competing at par with privately owned and managed shopping malls," Laviña said.
"In fact, the city government continues to subsidize the public markets where these economic enterprises should be money centers to contribute to the coffers of the city," he added.
With this situation, Laviña said there is a need for a thorough reform program to transform the markets into moneymakers.
Davao City owns and manages nine public markets, the biggest of which are in Bankerohan and Agdao. Smaller markets are siutated in Calinan, Mintal, Toril, New Matina (76-A), Tibungco, Bunawan and Lasang.
