SUBIC, Zambales—Mayor Jefferson “Jay” Khonghun and Zambales First District Rep. Jeffrey Khonghun on Monday led the groundbreaking ceremony for the P56-million public market here.
Jefferson said that “we are preparing the town to be a city and putting all the public amenities in order,” shortly after the Subic cityhood bill was filed before the House of Representatives last year. His father, Jeffrey, is the sponsor of the cityhood bill.
Jefferson said the market will rise on a vacant lot beside the old one in Barangay Baraca-Camachile. He added that the construction of the public market will be completed in six months.
“We don’t want people to lose jobs while we do the market. They will be transferred to the new one when it’s done,” Jefferson said.
He added that the soon-to-rise market will have 700 stalls, and “no trader will be displaced because there are about 400 stalls in the existing one.”
Jefferson said the new market will be “modern and environment-friendly, especially its sewerage system.” He added that a public park will be constructed in the area of the old public market.
Jefferson said they have to replace the old public market, because “it’s already 23 years old.” He added new market must rise to further increase economic development at Zambales’s biggest town.
It has 16 barangays and its total land area is about 287 square kilometers.
Image credits: Leo Villacarlos