BALAOAN, La Union (PIA) – The P110 million two-storey Farmers Commercial Center solely funded by the local government unit (LGU) of Balaoan will soon rise in this municipality.
 
According to Mayor Aleli Concepcion, the Farmers Commercial Center once completed will be the biggest, largest, and single-funded project to be built here.
 
The 1.368 square meters commercial center was funded from the LGU’s share from the collected excise tax on locally manufactured Virginia tobacco.
 
In terms of production of Virginia tobacco, the municipality is consistent to be among the Top 5 to 10 highest producing areas nationwide while it is the Top 1 in the provincial level.
 
“Ang pera ng mga taga-Balaoan ay para sa mga taga-Balaoan kaya lahat ng mga benepisyong nakukuha natin from the implementation of Republic Act Nos. 7171 and 8240, binabalik  lang natin sa ating mga tobacco farmers,” Concepcion said.
 

Concepcion noted that the project will not only give farmers a better venue to market their products but will also help to generate more local revenues.
 
“Balaoan is the center of the northern municipalities of La Union. Thus, it's the center of commerce. So, makakatulong ito para tumaas ang local source of revenue rito sa bayan,” Concepcion said.
 
The two-storey building is designed to have spacious dry goods stalls at the ground floor and sufficient parking space at the second floor, as well as ventilated comfort rooms.
 
It will have 49 ambulant spaces, 47 parking slots, 27 dry good sections, and comfort rooms (CR) with four cubicles for the ladies and three urinals and three cubicles for men while there will also be CR for persons with disabilities.
 
The ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony of the project was staged on April 28 led by Concepcion and Vice Mayor Carlo Castor Concepcion, along with other local officials, department heads, and the presidents of Tobacco Farmers Association and officers of the town’s Market Vendors Association.
 
Construction will start any time after the groundbreaking and is set to be completed in a year.
 
“The project will start anytime and is supposed to be done in 450 days but the contractor signified to finish it in just a year,” Concepcion said.