Concept of BAPTC
The BAPTC concept was a re-entry program proposal patterned from abroad taken during the study and exchange visits at the Hong Kong University, United States, Singapore, and Korea. The concept was first named Cordillera Agri-Pinoy Trading Complex or CAPTC. When this was presented in one of the Benguet Sangguniang Panlalawigan meetings in 2003 for endorsement to the Department of Agriculture and Office of the Senators, the Board Members that time approved the concept but suggested to rename it as Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Complex (BAPTC) to boost the Province. Other reasons were that the stakeholders are mostly Benguet people, the complex building will be put up in La Trinidad of Benguet, the farm products for trading are mainly from Benguet, and that vegetable production is the main economic industry of Benguet supplying 80% of its produce throughout the country.
The concept proposal was submitted to various possible funding agencies since 1999 but was never given importance. It was repackaged, submitted and presented to President Gloria Arroyo (PGMA) and former Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Arthur Yap with positive assurance to be part of the RO-RO program and be anchored to the PGMA-funded Benguet Vegetable Processing Center to process excess produce into veggie enriched noodles, breads, powders, etc. While surfing for funds, came the election ban in 2010, thus, was withheld for future consideration.
The credits and endless gratitude are bestowed to Secretary Proceso Alcala, Assistant Secretary Leandro Gazmin, Trade Director Arnulfo Manalac, DA-AMAS Rene Remanes, DA-CAR Director Alviar (2010), DA-CAR Director Marilyn Sta. Catalina (2011 onwards), DA-CAR AMAD Patricio Ananayo, and all other DA Officials for prioritizing BAPTC after 11 years of fund surfing. BAPTC is indeed an invaluable legacy you have provided to the people of Benguet and the neighboring municipalities and regions. More God’s rewards and blessings to all of you!
The concept proposal was strongly recommended by BSU Pres. Rogelio D. Colting, the Administrative Council and Board of Regents, and immediately re-submitted on July 2010 to the new DA administration that served as the working paper for the feasibility study and business model contracted by the Department of Agriculture-Central Office (DA-CO) to the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) headed by its Vice President, Dr. Reuel Virtulio, Dr. Victor Madlangbayan, Ms. Nica Hernandez, Archi. Maria Luisa Santos, and other DAP Staff.
Profiles on vegetable production was provided by the Offices of the Province of Benguet and DA-CAR, LTVTP profile by the La Trinidad Municipal Agriculture office, geographical site descriptions and research results by BSU Land Reservation Office, geographical data by DENR, water system by the La Trinidad Water District, traffic congestion by Mr. Dominador Dongla, other pertinent information/data from the created Technical Working Group (TWG) representatives of the six key playing agencies (BSU, DA, LGU, farmers, congressional office).
Technical Working Group members to help the DAP experts were Ms. Lolita Bentres of Benguet Province; Ms. Felicitas Ticbaen and Engr. Romeo Lopez of La Trinidad Municipality; Dir. Lucrecio Alviar, Dir. Marilyn Sta. Catalina and Mr. Patricio Ananayo of DA-CAR; Mr. Amor Moresto from the Office of Benguet Congress; Director Ariel Manalac, Dir. Leonardo Gazmin and Under Secretary Frank Alcantara of DA-NO; and yours truly as BSU representative and as the proposal proponent.
Executive Committee members of the key agency players were BSU President Dr. Rogelio Colting, Benguet Governor Nestor Fongwan, Benguet Congressman Ronald Cosalan, La Trinidad Mayor Gregorio Abalos, Jr., DA-CAR Directors Alviar and Marilyn Sta. Catalina, and DA Secretary Proceso Alcala.
Gov. Fongwan highly supported the need of trading post and processing, and positioned the newly organized Farmers Marketing Cooperative as one of the key player in the Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Complex in place of the dis-organized Benguet Farmers Federation, Incorporated (BFFI). Congressman Ronald Cosalan, on the other hand, recommended that all the farmers and traders’ cooperatives and associations should federate as one to have one common vision, mission and goal to later manage the BAPTC.
The Phase 2 Food Processing Plant for secondary products (pre-packed chopsuey, potato fries and chips, veggie juice, kimchi, etc) was the commercial expansion of the existing BSU-managed Benguet Vegetable Processing Center for veggie noodles, baked and pastries, and powdered products which is anchored to BAPTC. Its proposed funding was supposedly from KOICA thru the DA-PHILMECH. BSU-BVPC’s veggie enriched noodles, breads, powders and dehydrates shall utilize excess vegetables and sorted from BAPTC. A separate food quality and food safety, research and extension program was also prepared as a standby for implementation once the facility starts to operate.
Several consecutive meetings were held in different dates to address emerging issues and concerns from each sector (management, income sharing, agency roles and responsibilities, legitimate farmer cooperatives or organizations, misplaced farmers, actual area, site locations, social and environmental effects, etc.). These meetings were sponsored and co-sponsored by DA-NO, DAP, BSU and LGU-Benguet Province to complete the Business Model and Feasibility Study of the BAPTC.
Signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), burying of the time capsule, and unveiling of the BAPTC (Figure 1) was held on April 13, 2011 held at the approved four hectares BSU strawberry farm site.
In agreement, all the parties witnessed to promote innovative agricultural production and postharvest programs to generate livelihood opportunities for farmers, empower farmers for strong bargaining positions and traders for value-adding activities, and support the establishment of a world-class food terminal as conduit in the development of vibrant agricultural marketing system. This BAPTC shall provide scientific technological support and speed up growth of Philippine agriculture, address industrial supply and demand gaps, institutionalization of total quality systems in the supply chain, and address the plight of strawberry farmers in support to the “One-Town, One Product” of La Trinidad, Benguet.
In unison, the parties agree together through the MOU on the following generic provisions which include the 25 years lease of not less than 4 hectares covered by terms and conditions to be stipulated in a MOA, the facility to address farmers’ plight, a business entity created and organized to run and manage the facility, income derived be equally divided, facility be a venue for continuous global learning enterprise subject to policies, specific MOA be prepared to thresh out details outlined in the MOU (Figure 2 and 3), and DA to pay the standing crops of the displaced strawberry and vegetable farmers in the amount of P250 thousand.
Participation of the created BAPTC-TWG ended after the MOA signing in April 2012 due to changes in BSU administration. Likewise, the EXECOM accordingly had less meetings to discuss further BAPTC’s management and operational systems.
Great appreciation goes to all those who endorsed the project, and those who contributed in the preparation of the Feasibility Study and the Business Model of the Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Complex.
LEGAL EXISTENCE OF BAPTC
Date Signed Memorandum of Agreement/Memorandum of Understanding
August 2010: BSU Board of Regents Resolution No. endorsing BAPTC establishment
August 2010: BSU Board of Regents Resolution No. approving the 4 hectares and 1.5 hectares loop road
: DA Executive
April 13, 2011: Memorandum of Understanding of BAPTC
September 14, 2012: Memorandum of Agreement of BAPTC
February 3, 2015: Amendment to the Memorandum of Agreement of BAPTC
• Annex A – The Socio – Economic Enterprise of BAPTC
• Annex B – Deed of Donation made and executed by and between the DA and BSU
February 24, 2015: Memorandum of Agreement entered into by and between the DA and BSU for the “Transfer of Funds to the Start Up Operation of BAPTC
• Annex A – Work and Financial Plan February to December 2015 and Detailed Budgetary Requirements on the Socio Economic Enterprise of the BAPTC
• Project Proposal: Fund Management Linkage of Benguet State University
November 2, 2015: Memorandum of Agreement entered into by and between the DA and LGU of La Trinidad Benguet for the Establishment of La Trinidad Community Business Center amounting to Php 30,000,000.00
December 4, 2015: Amendment to the Memorandum of Agreement dated February 24,2015 entered by and between DA and BSU for the “Transfer of Funds to Start Up Operation of the BAPTC
Reformation of Memorandum of Agreement entered into and by DA and BSU for the “Transfer of Funds to Start Up Operation of the BAPTC”
2015 Work and Financial Plan/Internal Operating Budget
August 26, 2016: Technical Working Group creation; workshop to review and come up with recommendations to fully operationalize BAPTC
BAPTC Organizational Structure (based on the start-up operations manual and implemented from June 2015 – December 2017)