By Ali G. Macabalang
KIDAPAWAN CITY – The provincial government of North Cotabato has introduced a digital marketing platform that could give its constituents, kept to their homes by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), physical access to wet markets in the province.
Governor Nancy Catamco launched on Saturday the virtual trading scheme, requiring all local government units (LGUs) in 17 towns here to inform their villagers about the alternative marketing platform.
North Cotabato Governor Nancy Catamco held a meeting with her department chiefs for the launch of the virtual market platform on Saturday. (Photo via Ali Macabalang / MANILA BULLETIN)
“We need to find ways to keep the economy alive by not limiting the flow of the trade and commerce because of the community quarantine being implemented in North Cotabato,” Catamco said in a statement.
The statement said the 18 LGUs will have to post in their official Facebook pages the “NC Marketplace” platform where “farmers, producers, potential buyers and consumers will meet virtually.”
“Once buyers and sellers agree on certain goods, the seller can tap ‘habal-habal' drivers in their localities to deliver the goods to the (door steps of) buyers,” the statement said.
For large volume of orders entailing more than one ton, the provincial government will dispatch trucks to “deliver the goods” from sellers to buyers, according to Socrates Piñol, who was Catamco’s running mate in the 2019 local elections.