According to a local vegetable supplier, they procure on a weekly basis about 5,000 kilos of vegetables from Baguio City, with the lot composed mostly of cabbage, potatoes, carrots, sayote (chayote in English), bell pepper and pechay Baguio or Chinese cabbage. They cost an average of P32 per kilo, for a weekly expense of P160,000.
Three days every week, they also get 2,000 kilos per day or 6,000 kilos weekly of the very same type of vegetables from Legazpi City.
A small quantity of ampalaya (bitter gourd), sili haba (long chili), upo (bottle gourd or calabash), sitaw (string beans) and talong (eggplant) arrives from Tabaco City while local farmers supply about five kilos of okra (gumbo or lady’s fingers), sitaw, talong and sili haba daily.
For the 5,000 kilos of veggies from Baguio, about eight pesos per kilo or P40,000 goes to the hauler.
All of the vegetable traders do not have chillers for storage so the vegetables are just put on display, with the vegetables chopped for chopsuey or pakbet (mixed vegetables dish) once they wilt or start to spoil.
This way, the source said, losses are limited.
Market goers know from experience that there are days when there are no vegetables from the mainland, especially during the typhoon season when storm signals for typhoons still a thousand kilometers away halt the daily ferry trips.
It is during these times that a chiller for vegetables and other farm produce as well as fish could prove beneficial not only for the traders but also for their customers.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, refrigeration allows farmers to wait for a better price for their products, evens out the supply of a commodity during a period, increases sales and income by reducing spoilage, and extends the shelf life of produce from two to 21 days.
A solar-powered chiller like the container-type one being provided by the Department of Agriculture to some provinces would be a welcome addition to the Virac public market, provided a suitable site could be found.
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Before the end of the week, the public could be apprised of the situation with regards to the ubiquitous “bote-bote” gasoline stores by the roadsides of Virac.
During the campaign, then candidate Patrick Alain T. Azanza had vowed to remove the unsightly stores, made from scrap wood and Gi sheets, once fuel prices are brought down.
With the pump prices of gasoline and diesel considerably reduced, the new governor of Catanduanes said there is no need for the “bote-bote” stores to exist.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) has been tasked to investigate the proliferation of such stores and was expected to deliver its report to the chief executive by Tuesday this week.
As Gov. Azanza is known to expect results from those to whom orders have been given, including the police, the public would know soon enough if the fire officials and the police begin closing or physically dismantling the makeshift gas stations.
One thing is sure, gasoline sold by the bottle would still be available in sari-sari stores in remote barangays far from gas stations.
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Azanza critic Atty. Oliver T. Rodulfo marked his 70th year last Sunday, July 6.
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ASKING FOR A RAISE. Bill walks into his boss’s office one day and says, “Sir, I’ll be straight with you. I know the economy isn’t great, but I’ve got three companies after me, and I’d like to respectfully ask for a raise.”
After a few minutes of haggling, the boss finally agrees to give him a 5 percent raise, and Bill happily gets up to leave.
”By the way,” asks the boss as Bill is leaving his office, “which three companies are after you?”
Bill replies, “The electric company, water company, and phone company.”