KIDAPAWAN CITY — The provincial government of North Cotabato has moved for the revival of Rubber Trading Centers (RTCs) or rubber “bagsakan” areas to provide trading venues that would benefit more workers in the local rubber industry.
Engineer Osting Arances, RTC program focal person under the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, said Friday the re-establishment of RTCs is the provincial government’s response to rubber farmers’ complaint of dropping rubber cup lump prices in the province.
Arances said the province has 11 RTCs found in the towns of Carmen, President Roxas, Antipas, Arakan, Matalam, Magpet, Makilala, Tulunan, Aleosan, Kabacan, and Kidapawan City, where rubber cup lumps are sold.
“It’s the place where rubber products are subjected to bidding and selling,” he said.
He said the establishment of RTCs has increased the buying prices of rubber raw products in the province.
“The buying price now at RTCs is PHP25.50 per kg. of rubber cup lump as compared to PHP21 per kg. outside the ‘bagsakan’ center,” Arances said.
The creation of RTCs was anchored on Provincial Ordinance No. 594, which is aimed at revitalizing the rubber industry. (Edwin Fernandez/PNA)
