San Miguel Corporation (SMC) said it is opening a sustainable community marketplace in Sariaya, Quezon that will be jointly managed by the residents of its P352 million relocation community.
In a statement, SMC said the San Miguel Market, the first in Sariaya’s Barangay Castanas, is 95 percent complete and is seen to boost livelihoods of both farmers and fisherfolk in the area.
It will be part of SMC’s planned sustainable integrated food complex that will generate jobs for residents, and boost the economy of Quezon province.
The market is also built with the pandemic in mind – conforming to the most stringent food safety and hygiene standards.
“At San Miguel, we believe inclusiveness is key to bringing sustainable growth and development to our provinces,” said SMC president Ramon S. Ang.
Through this project, Ang said the San Miguel Market, farmers and fishermen from Sariaya, Quezon can go into business and earn more from selling their fresh catch and fresh produce, their home-made products, and even our food products, directly to consumers.
“With this, combined with the 3.5-hectare Sariaya fishermen’s dock we built earlier, Sariaya can be known as a source of the freshest seafood from the province,” noted Ang.
He explained that, “They can attract many customers aside from the locals. With this, local fishermen can reduce their costs, sell their produce faster, and get better prices.”
SMC earlier built the community, dubbed San Miguel-Christian Gayeta Homes, to relocate families living in high-risk coastal areas.
It features disaster-resilient and environment-friendly homes and is equipped with a multi-purpose area, covered court, livelihood center, day care center and e-library.
The dock, meanwhile, accommodates and secures some 100 boats. SMC also built on the property the Sariaya Fishermen’s Hall, which serves as a rest area and storage for about 70 boat engines and other fishing implements.
Ang said that its integrated food complex project will be a game-changer for Sariaya and Quezon province as it will include major food industry investments, including a ready-to-eat food manufacturing facility, a grains terminal, feed mill, poultry dressing plant, a brewery, and international port facilities.
“With the support of the local government of Sariaya and its communities, we are starting to construct the vital pieces of the integrated food complex. This will be a game-changer in terms of investments and the employment and livelihood opportunities it will bring to the town of Sariaya, and the rest of Quezon province,” Ang said.
Ang said that long-term, the market will be developed into a wholesale marketplace or “bagsakan center” for fresh farm produce and seafood, to help farmers and fishermen from Quezon bring their products to Metro Manila and neighboring provinces.
In the meantime, the market will start by opening commercial spaces to be put up by residents of its Sariaya housing community.