Guagua remains business-friendly amid pandemic
GUAGUA, Pampanga (PIA) — Guagua, Pampanga is still a business-friendly municipality amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
In today’s episode of Network Briefing News, Mayor Dante Torres emphasized that they are welcoming investors who want to have the opportunity to do business given that they are one of the fastest-growing towns in terms of revenue.
“When I won as a Mayor, I converted Guagua as an investor-friendly municipality. When you want to open a business here, we will help you, we will find a place for you, and then we will discuss with you the business,” he said.
He added that considered as the commercial center of the second district of Pampanga, the municipality has a big commercial market selling different kinds of merchandise, goods, meat, agriculture products and others, which could also supply the needs of the neighboring towns.
In addition, Torres shared that what they expected as a shortfall in the revenue of their commercial district turned out to be an about 15% boom at the time of the pandemic.
“What we are doing now in the new normal is that we are balancing health against business. We are strict, but we are allowing them [the markets] also to operate, given that we follow the Covid-19 protocols,” he said.
As aid for businessmen, the municipal council has released a resolution condoning the charge and penalties on the period that they are unable to pay their local taxes.
Torres attributed the increase to the markets which did not close despite the pandemic, and strictly followed the minimum public health standards, and the requirements imposed by the national government against COVID-19.
“I stationed Marshalls who will be checking those who will be entering our premises. We also have an ambulance on standby if need be… We also issued identification cards and quarantine passes to the vendors outside the town so that they could go here,” he detailed.
The local chief executive said they also strengthened the small merchants in the barangays to limit the number of people going in the commercial market, which in turn helped in the improvement of the economy of each barangay. (MJSC/JLDC-PIA 3)
