‘Pandesal’ price cut in Navotas as aid

BAKERS’CONTRACT Under an agreement with the city government, bakery owners will continue to get free flour if they slash their prices by P1 to P5. —PHOTO FROM NAVOTAS PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE

MANILA, Philippines — The everyman’s bread, pan de sal, can now be bought for one peso each, half its original price in Navotas after bakeries in the city received sacks of flour donated by one of the country’s major corporations.

Irish Cubillan, the city’s public information officer, told the Inquirer on Tuesday that other types of bread had been discounted, too.

She said the city government received 1,438 25-kilogram sacks of flour worth P1 million from San Miguel Corp. and distributed 10 bags each to over two dozen bakeries as a form of aid during the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine.

“We have delivered 320 sacks to 32 registered bakeries that are willing to offer their products at a discount. Our local price coordinating council will monitor if these establishments [will abide] by our agreement,” Mayor Toby Tiangco said on Monday as he gave away the flour.

The bakeries agreed to cut their prices of pan de sal, monay, buns and loaf bread by P1 to P5. Only the establishments found to be compliant would be given more flour later.

Tiangco was hopeful that the discounted bread prices would help residents “survive,” especially those severely affected by the lockdown.

Navotas graduates

Additionally, graduates of a bread and pastry production course at Navotas Training and Assessment Institute (Navotaas) would be baking 1,000 pieces of bread for one barangay per day.

The following day’s production will go to the next barangay until all 18 city barangays shall have received their Navotaas bread by May 29, according to the city’s public information office.

“Eleven volunteer home bakers were also given one sack of flour each to produce bread and pastries for distribution within their respective neighborhoods,” it said.

There are 40 graduates of the Navotaas bread and pastry production course who will be making the bread.

The flour and other ingredients will be provided separately by Navotaas’ own supplies.

Navotas offers technical-vocational courses — such as housekeeping, bread, and pastry production, wellness message, and carpentry — in its four training centers.