𝐓𝐖𝐆 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐂 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝

Mayor Roderick C. Awingan, through an Executive Order, mandated the creation of an inter-agency technical working group that would study the establishment of a cutflower center at the Benguet Agri-pinoy Trading Center (BAPTC).

Executive Order 083, series of 2026, mandated the creation of the "inter-municipal technical working group for the cutflower trading bay feasibility study."

The mayor, through the EO signed on June 17, said that despite the massive volume of cutflowers passing through the province daily, the sector lacks a highly integrated, specialized, and climate-controlled trading bay within BAPTC that can efficiently cater to both local La Trinidad growers and producers from neighboring Benguet municipalities.

He said that the municipality has always been the primary hub for the cutflower trade in the Cordillera, while the neighboring towns in Benguet such as Atok, Tublay, Kibungan, and Buguias have also become premiere producers of high-value cutflowers.

Also, the BAPTC which is located in the municipality has been designated by the government as a state-of-the-art trading hub for the streamlining of agricultural logistics, as well as institutionalizing fair market practices to empower farmers.

"La Trinidad, as the host municipality, recognizes the economic necessity of collaborating with its sister municipalities to establish a unified, regulated, and sustainable cutflower trading ecosystem that protects the interests of farmers and boosts regional tourism and commerce," the mayor stated in the EO.

The inter-agency TWG shall be composed of the following: Senior Agriculturist Jay Sano of the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist (OMAG) as the chairperson, co-chaired by BAPTC Chief Operating Officer/Project Manager Ruth Diego or her representative, with members from the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator Vicente Perez, DOST-Benguet Director Sheila Marie Singa-Claver, Benguet State University College of Agriculture representative Rashid Lokines, Benguet Provincial Agriculture Office Head Delinia Juan, La Trinidad Cutflower Association President Jojo Tiyap, Jake Badongen of the OMAG, Corazon Uyaan of the Municipal Accounting Office, and representative from the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera High Value Crops Program. Representatives from the OMAG and the BAPTC shall also be the secretariat of the TWG.

The TWG is tasked to conduct a holistic, data-driven feasibility study in the areas: host and inter-municipal logistics assessment, technical and post-harvest design, socio-economic and market viability, policy and boundary harmonization, and stakeholder consultation.

Further, the TWG is given 90 days to complete its assessments and shall come up with a comprehensive feasibility study report and business plan. These will be presented to the municipal mayor of La Trinidad, BSU, the BAPTC Project Steering Board, Department of Agriculture, Office of the Congressman, and the provincial government of Benguet for funding and other implementation strategies.

The expenses for the operation of the TWG shall come from the available funds of the municipal LGU of La Trinidad or through counterpart funding from BAPTC and participating municipal or provincial agricultural programs.

To view the full EO, here's the link:https://drive.google.com/file/d/1X1OCJkmzp3GNCSv8Cf6JGDQFxnH2YGen/view?usp=sharing

Author: 𝘖. 𝘌𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘢𝘯

Original Post: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17Ya7DnJgh/