Pasig City has found a creative way to prevent consumers from flocking to public markets through the Mobile Palengke.
City Mayor Vico Sotto announced on March 24, 2020, the launching of the Mobile Palengke, a truck that serves as a store selling goods from the market.
“Upang mabawasan ang dami ng tao sa Pasig Mega Market at mga talipapa, inilunsad namin ang MOBILE PALENGKE,” Mayor Sotto said in a Facebook post.
(We launched the MOBILE PALENGKE to reduce the number of people going to the Pasig Mega Market and other markets)
“Presyong palengke, mas malapit sa mamimili, at tulong na rin sa mga maninindang Pasigueño (galing sa Mega Market ang bigas, karne, gulay).” Mayor Sotto added.
(Sold at the same market price, selling closer to residential homes, and also helps Pasigueño vendors since the rice, meats, and vegetables come from Mega Market)
Netizens immediately responded with praises for the popular mayor who was quick to correct impressions that he pioneered it, humbly tweeting that other local governments have done the same before him.
“Hindi lang po kami ang may mobile palengke! May ibang LGU na nauna sa min! (It’s not just us running mobile palengke! Other LGUs actually had them before us!)
“Pasig City Mobile Palengke. Wow. Tama nga naman. People go our kasi they need to buy everyday needs sa palengke. What better way to keep people at home is to bring the palengke to them. I stan Pasig talaga. God bless the people behind this,” @regregzz tweeted.
“He saw crowds and didn’t see “pasaways”. He didn’t blame them for *pagiging matigas ang ulo”. Instead, he saw the need & found a win-win solution to bridge the gap to make everyone’s lives easier. No emergency powers. No demonizing the poor. No holding up Manila paper signage,” @HeySyao also tweeted.
@ricci_richy also responded, “Another check mark for the “Good Job List” of Pasig City! Well done team Pasig for launching this mobile palengke. You guys really know what your people need. I hope the others will do it too.”
@Loladoray tweeted, “Yes copy with pride why not di ba? Thumbs up Good job kayo ng #TeamPasig and the other LGUs (Clapping hands sign Clapping hands sign Clapping hands sign) who immediately responds to the needs of the community.”
Mayor Vico Sotto also clarified that the Mobile Palengke is running while they are also giving away food/grocery packs in barangays.
“Parallel effort dito, namimigay na rin tayo ng food/grocery packs sa mga barangay. Paalala muli kung gaano kalaki ang operations na ito — imposibleng maperpekto sa napaka iksing panahon. Aabot ng 7 araw bago maikutan ang lahat ng pinaka mahihirap na lugar sa Pasig,” the Mayor said in a post.
(This is a parallel effort, we also give out food/grocery packs to barangays. But this is a big operation and cannot be perfected in a short time. It would take 7 days before all the poorest barangays in Pasig can be served.)
Mayor Vico Sotto has been receiving much love from netizens who are praising his quick and creative programs to help the poor affected by the Luzon-wide quarantine, including his humanitarian actions towards daily wage earners.
The 30-year-old son of celebrity parents Coney Reyes and Eat Bulaga’s Vic Sotto won a six-year mayoral term during the 2019 elections.
The schedules of the 5 Mobile Palengke trucks are posted on the Pasig City Public Information Office Facebook page which also reminds people to observe social distancing when buying from the store. Here is the Wednesday, March 25, schedule:
Meanwhile, barangay captains have also been stepping up to support their local communities during the quarantine.
Social distancing, recommended as a key to stopping the spread of COVID-19, brought forth South Korea-based actor-filmmaker Nash Ang’s new passion project, the Pinoy Seoul Radio Online.
An online learning platform is also being offered for free by veteran writer Ricky Lee who is scheduled to conduct his popular Writing Workshop during the quarantine.
SEND CHEERS in the comments below to the people of Pasig City for having their needs attended to by their local government.
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