The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is eyeing to rebuild destroyed marketplaces and put up trading posts in areas surrounding Marawi in its bid to jump-start business activity for displaced entrepreneurs even as the conflict in the city continues.
In a text message to reporters, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said the agency sill rent a 2-hectare lot in Iligan City to put up a “Little Padian” marketplace to replace the one destroyed in Marawi City.
“We will build this in a high foot-traffic area which used to be a bus terminal and where we will put the Maranao traders from Marawi. This will help traders and their families get back to normalcy,” Lopez said.
This will complement plans of the DTI to put up trading sections in major malls in Iligan City and other surrounding cities to accommodate Maranao entrepreneurs.
Previously, the DTI said it got the nod of SM Investments Corp.’s Vice Chairman Tessie Sy-Coson and Robina Gokongwei-Pe, President of Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc., for them to allot 300 square meters of space in their malls for displaced traders.
The space will be leased at discounted rates to these small businesses and the advanced six-month rental fee will be waived, Lopez said earlier.
Aside from these two initiatives, the DTI will be setting up four commissaries in towns surrounding Marawi City for the provision of basic necessities in the area. These will be similarly operated by Maranao distributors.
Earlier, the DTI said it will be asking for a supplemental P10 million from the Department of Budget and Management for a livelihood-assistance fund intended for the affected business owners in conflict-ridden Marawi City.
This will be in addition to the P1.5-billion “Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso” or P3 program which can also be made available for small businesses in Marawi, and small and medium enterprises nationwide.