Carrots distributed for free in Baguio are NOT P1 but P10-P15 per kilo

Baguio City, Philippines – The prices of carrots distributed at Burnham Park in Baguio City on December 28, 2023, did not plummet to P1 per kilo as previously announced.

Instead, these carrots were sold at a range of P10 to P15 per kilo on the same day, as reported by local media.

Clemencia Lapas, the coordinator for Inter-LGUs Cooperation Outreach Relief Assistance, shed light on the situation, revealing that the turnout of buyers from Benguet was considerably low that day.

Consequently, farmers and traders, faced with unsold produce, made a decision to donate those unsold items.

Lapas explained that due to the lack of buyers, approximately 10,000 kilos of carrots remained unsold in the private trading areas in La Trinidad, Benguet. To mitigate waste and assist the community, a collaborative effort ensued.

Eight stations of the Baguio City Police Office collaborated to facilitate the transportation of these surplus carrots from the private trading areas in La Trinidad, Benguet, for distribution purposes.

Earlier, crates marked 'A.B.C. BAGUIO,' housing carrots and potatoes reportedly originating from Baguio and Benguet, found their way into prominent markets such as Tondo in Manila and Olongapo in Zambales.

Nevertheless, the League of Associations operating within the La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Area disclosed that these commodities were not legitimately procured from the specified regions but were illicitly smuggled instead.

Expressing profound apprehension, the league has fervently appealed to the national government and pertinent authorities for assistance in combating smuggling activities. Their plea emphasizes the crucial need to protect the welfare of local producers and safeguard their vested interests in the face of such illicit practices.