COTABATO CITY—The new public market in the island province of Basilan is expected to help the local economy grow and develop, Minister of the Interior and Local Government (MILG) Atty. Naguib Sinarimbo said during its turnover ceremony on August 4.
The two-storey public market worth Php25-million was handed over to the Municipal Government of Lantawan of the said province.
Minister Sinarimbo said the building will offer local business and employment opportunities not only to the constituents of Lantawan but to the local government as well.
“We thought of two things: first, help our constituents to have the opportunity to earn and the practical way is to do business, if there is a market. Second, we also want the local government units to learn to earn not only because of the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) but the government can earn through economic enterprise such as this market,” Sinarimbo said.
He added, in accordance with BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim’s Enhanced 12-Point Priority Agenda, the MILG intends to help the various LGUs to improve their operation to give Bangsamoro constituents easier access to the regional government’s services.
“Over the years, we have seen that [change] because we are going to transition from conflict to peace, and hopefully to development. We cannot maintain peace without practical changes that our constituents feel,” he stressed.
The Minister also explained that the public market has a modern design deeply rooted in the Bangsamoro heritage and tradition.
“It consists of a ground floor and a mezzanine where entrepreneurs can set up their businesses from coffee shops to dry goods,” he added.
Meanwhile, Municipal Administrator Tahira Ismail said the public market will help local consumers, including access to quality food, marketing opportunities, and, increase social cohesion.
“Sa mga constituents ng Lantawan, ang building na ito ay bigay ng BARMM hindi lang para sa municipal government, kundi, kung sino ang gusto mag-negosyo. Mag-apply kayo sa Treasurer’s Office para mabigyan kayo ng permit bilang occupants sa public market na ito,” Ismail said.
On the same day, the Government of the Day broke ground for another five units of two-storey village halls for five barangays in the municipality of Lantawan. (Majid Nur/BIO with reports from MILG)
