Work on P2.4-B Bulacan food terminal to start in early 2008

MALOLOS CITY – The construction of the P2.4-billion Korean-funded Bulacan North Food Terminal (BNFT) will start early next year, former Bulacan governor Josie de la Cruz said.

De la Cruz, who chairs the board of the South East Asia Commodity Food Corp., told The STAR that development on the food terminal will soon kick off on a 20- to 30-hectare land with the construction of the P340-million interchange at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) in Balagtas town.

She said the interchange will serve as a gateway to the food terminal.

The BNFT was conceived nine years ago in the early years of De la Cruz’s incumbency as governor but failed to materialize. Her younger brother Joselito succeeded her as governor last June.

With the food terminal, Bulacan is expected to keep pace with the industrial and economic development in Northern and Central Luzon.

De la Cruz said agricultural products from Northern and Central Luzon will be packaged, processed, distributed and sold at the food terminal.

She said the food terminal’s campus-like facility will straddle the towns of Bocaue and Balagtas, just beside the NLEX. However, she did not disclose the exact location for political reasons.

Documents show that the BNFT will have a flea market, and storage and warehouse areas where agricultural products will be packaged and processed.

The former governor said the BNFT will help reduce too much food handling, thus maintaining the quality of products before they reach markets in Metro Manila.

At least 30 percent of the food terminal will be owned by the provincial government, and the rest will be owned and funded by Korean investors.

According to De la Cruz, the Koreans are investing at least P2.4 billion in the food terminal, which is expected to be completed by 2010.