Clarification sought over BAPTC ops
THE MUNICIPALITY of La Trinidad is requesting clarification of its role in the management and operation of the Benguet AgriPinoy Trading Center (BAPTC).
In a proposed resolution, the local government is seeking clarifications to Department of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol as the Project Steering Board was clearly defined to include the different six stakeholders including the municipality of La Trinidad.
“It was observed that BAPTC through the alleged authorization of the project steering board, benguet State University solely and indepen-
dently manage and operate the BAPTC as of now,” said Councilor Henry Kipas, chair on committee on laws, rules, and regulations and proponent of the resolution.
A technical working group has earlier recommended the municipality and BSU to co-manage BAPTC after an Ad Hoc Commitee was created by Mayor Romeo Salda by the virtue of Administrative Order 053-2016, whose function is to formulate guidelines and policies for the effective operation and management of the trading center.
“We learned accordingly again the Steering Committee again allowed that it would now be solely operated by BSU. We are now in quandary, did the committee formed by the mayor defunct naturally?”said Kipas.
Kipas added the municipality should be given preference as a major stakeholders and should be involve in making guidelines and policies for the operations of BAPTC.
Earlier, BAPTC chief of operations Violeta Salda advised the LGU to pen a resolution that will legalize the co-management of the BAPTC. However, as of this writing, the resolution has yet to be made.
Management and operations of BAPTC would be then be turned over to farmers by 2020 or to a cooperative who can manage and handle the trading operations, social enterprise, social capability and training. Salda added if BAPTC cannot obtain a management to operate BAPTC, then it will still be managed by BSU.
Although the transition is also being questioned, Kipas said farmers cannot do that, because they are in the field.