TITLE: LA TRINIDAD FARMERS MARKET

I. Background of the Study

Agriculture, especially the vegetable sector, is a major contributor to the

economic growth of the Philippines providing employment to about 37% of the total

labor force (Rapusas, 2006). Farmers know how to plant but they need help in finding a

market for their products (Cena, n.d.). The farm-to-market process starts with production

and harvesting, and transported to trading centers where it will be stored, traded, and

hauled to consumers and finally distributed to the market. The existence of markets in the

Philippines encourages development in both urban and rural economies. The markets

environment, however, is often characterized as unhygienic and unsafe. These conditions

and situations invoke market shoppers to opt for supermarkets where they can

conveniently shop clean and quality ensured products (Alonzo, 2012).

The La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post (LTVTP) serves as the major trading

outlet for temperate vegetables grown in the highlands of Cordillera (Piadozo, 2013),

wherein it plays a major role in the Agricultural sector supplying 80 percent of the

countrys vegetable needs (Guieb, 2015). Vegetables sold in LTVTP daily are largely

unloaded in Pangasinan, Quezon City and Metro Manila. According to the LGU of La

Trinidad, the advent and rapid growth of population as well as chain restaurants require

an increase of supply of wide varieties of Benguet vegetables, attracting farmers and

traders to conduct business in the municipality. Moreover, with the advancement of

technology and improvement of networks, many individuals are learning to plant, sell and

trade their produce. The LTVTP, however, can no longer accommodate the increasing

number of individuals entering the facility due to its physical condition which has not
been improved for a long time (Binay-an, 2016). This, in effect as evident today, results

to overcrowding, inadequate waste management and traffic congestion along the main

road of La Trinidad (Borja, 2011).

The government provided a facility in order to solve these problems and

accommodate the growing number of farmers, traders, and vegetable dealers. The former

administration suggests that farmers, traders, vegetable truckers, and disposers have to

transfer to the Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center (BAPTC). Unlike the LTVTP, retail is

not permitted in the BAPTC premises (Quitasol, 2016). According to the market

supervisor - Janice Binay-an (2016), wholesale will be transferred at the BAPTC while

retail will remain at the LTVTP.

Since the farmers prefer the present system of LTVTP, the integration of the

concept Farmers Market, a common retail facility, to the existing LTVTP will offer

benefits to farmers, consumers, and communities where they gather together on a regular

basis to buy or sell a variety of fresh fruits or vegetables from independent stalls directly

to consumers (Hall, et.al. 2007). The conversion of La Trinidad Vegetables Trading Post

(LTVTP) to La Trinidad Farmers Market (LTFM) will not just offer benefits but will

also contribute to the popularity and identity of La Trinidad as the Salad bowl of the

Philippines.

The primary objective of this study is to design a culturally and socially

acceptable farmers market by identifying the factors affecting the efficiency of the

LTVTP both environmental and physical and to provide architectural solutions without

compromising the needs, activities and culture of the place and its people.
 The study seeks to provide answers to the problems experienced by the users of

the LTVTP and its surrounding environment. Furthermore, it wants to identify the users

and their daily activities in the LTVTP which will be used as the primary basis for the

redevelopment of the facility. Lastly, it wants to determine the aspects and design factors

that will affect the planning and design of the facility.

Problem Statement

To provide an architectural solution in the Municipality of La Trinidads

Vegetable Trading Post that integrates the concept of Farmers Market addressing the

problems experienced by the users and their needs through participatory planning

achieving a different kind of Retail Market.

Objectives of the study

The aim of the study is to redevelop the La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post into

a La Trinidad Farmers Market in order for the facility to be resilient and be able to adapt

and accommodate several changes. Aside from this, the study aims to integrate and

preserve the culture of La Trinidad.

Specific Objectives:

1. To define Farmers Market and identify its attributes that could be applicable to

the existing facility - La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post (LTVTP).

2. To identify the problems and needs of the current facility and provide solutions to

make the flow of work easier.

3. To identify the users and their needs and activities to be considered in the design.

4. To identify innovations that can be applied to the facility.

5. To know the unifying element of La Trinidad and to integrate it in the design,

giving the facility a sense-of-place.

Research Questions

The study aims to answer the following questions:

1. What is a Farmers Market?

2. Who are the users of the LTVTP?

3. What are the problems experienced by the users in the facility?

4. What are the needs of the users in the facility?

5. What are the activities that are done in the facility?

6. What are needed facilities that are not present in the existing facility?

7. What are the factors affecting the efficiency and capacity of the facility?

8. What is the local government doing to answer the problems of the facility?

9. What is the unifying element and identity of La Trinidad?

10. What are innovations that could be applied in the facility?

References:

A. Published Materials:

Holland, R., Bruch, M., & Hall, C. (n.d.). A Guide for Considering and
Developing a Farmers Market in Tennessee. Retrieved June, 2007.
Nedic, A. F. (2012, August). A Proposed Integrated Tourist Urban Market
Center: Redevelopment of City of San Fernando Public Market in Pampanga
Transforming Public Market and its Environmental Systems through Micro
and Green Urbanism [Abstract]. A Proposed Integrated Tourist Urban Market
Center: Redevelopment of City of San Fernando Public Market in Pampanga
Transforming Public Market and Its Environmental Systems through Micro
and Green Urbanism, 1-3.
Rolle, R. S. (2006). Postharvest management of fruit and vegetables in the
Asia-Pacific region. Tokyo: Asian Productivity Organization.

B. Electronic Sources
Borja, B. A. (n.d.). P400-M veggie trading post to rise in Trinidad. Retrieved
September 16, 2016, from http://northphiltimes.blogspot.com/2011/04/p400-
m-veggie-trading-post-to-rise-in.html
Guieb, M. (2015, February 5). Biggest, Innovative agriculture trading center
to open in March. Retrieved September 3, 2016, from http://www.
Businessmirror.com.ph/2015/02/05/biggest-innovative-agriculture-trading-
center-to-open-in-march/
Piadozo, M. S. (2013). Efficiency OF benguet vegetable price linkages.
Retrieved from www.issaas.org/journal/v19/02/journal-issaas-v19n2-12-
piadozo.pdf.
Quitasol, K. (2016, February 7). 3,000 farmers being moved out of trading
post for DA project. Inquirer.net. Retrieved September 9, 2016, from
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/762248/3000-farmers-being-moved-out-of-
trading-post-for-da-project#ixzz4JkWGGxJb

C. Interviews
Binay-an, J. A. (September 2016) LTVTP [Interview].
Statement of the problem

1.) what are the problems that are experienced:

a. user

b. environment

2.) What are the activities of the users?

a. Farmers

b. Traders

c. Vegetable truckers

d. Purchasers

e. Administration

f. Packers

g. Dealers

h. Porters

i. Retailers

3.) What are the aspects to be considered in the design?

a. Cultural

b. Social

c. Space planning

d. Sense of place

e. guidelines
 Objective:

The objectives of this study

1.) To design a farmers market

a. Identify the users needs and activities

b. Identify the factors affecting the efficiency of the LTVTP

2.) To design a farmers market that has a character acceptable:

a. Culturally

b. socially

3.) To design a culturally and socially acceptable facility.

Significance of the Study

The rapid growth of population and the continuing development of the La

Trinidad brings the need to develop its facilities and infrastructure to accommodate the

changes. Because of the development of the municipality, more establishments are being

constructed such as food chains, restaurants, and hotels. These establishments require

greater supply for food production, mainly vegetables.

The study will benefit the local farmers by improving their livelihood and

business by providing a more efficient farmers' market which will allow them to trade

their products in a healthy environment.

With the reduction of post-harvest loss, the LTFM will be beneficial to the

economy of the municipality of La Trinidad through the selling and promotion of local

products which is cheaper and fresher compared to imported products.

It also increases tourism by encouraging people to come to the La Trinidad

Farmers Market which is considered a landmark giving La Trinidad a Sense of Place.

Furthermore, the facility will encourage social interaction through open spaces that is

integrated in the design solution while ensuring the safety and security of the people.

The study will rejuvenate the physical and systematic conditions from the

deteriorating, dim, unsanitary, unsafe, and unorganized conditions. It will ease the

marketing process of the market and improve the quality of service and the flow of

activities of the users.

Conceptual Framework

A process was formed to guide the researchers throughout the proposed

development La Trinidad Farmers Market. It begins with determining who the users

are, their activities, and cultural and social factors attached with them through personal

interviews. The expected output from these information are the users needs and activities

in the market, and La Trinidads unifying element. Data gathered will be interpreted and

will be used in designing the Farmers Market. This is called Participatory design.

Another critical factor to be considered are the environmental factors, which will

be identified through the analysis of the site and its surrounding environment, affecting

the efficiency and effectivity of the existing facility. This will be done through ocular

inspection, observation and simulations based on the site criteria for Retail Markets. The

expected output from data gathered is the environmental factors, its impact to the market

and vice versa.

Secondary information will be collected through researches from published and

electronic sources, published articles from newspapers and journals. These references

will be compared to each other to find their common knowledge and to find a gap. The

expected output from the synthesis and analysis of these data is the concept of the

Farmers Market.

Case studies about existing Farmers, Market will also be collected through

research from published and electronic sources. These case studies will be compared to

determine their commonalities. The expected output will be the recent trends in the

design of Farmers Market.

 Supporting information from various government development controls and

guidelines such as the National Building Code, Local Ordinances, Rules and Regulations,

Batasang Pambansa blg., 344, Fire Code, Plumbing Code, and International Public

Market Code will be used for checking in order to come up with a Law-Abiding Farmers

Market.

The three (3) outputs stated above will be used for the procurement of a schematic

design consisting of: the preliminary building character, space planning, functional areas

and open spaces that will lead to an architectural solution for the final proposal of the La

Trinidad Farmers Market.

Figure 1. Paradigm of the Study
Design and Methods

The following procedures will help and guide the researchers in conducting the

study in order to attain objectives and eventually come up with a solution to the design

problem.

Methods of Inquiry. The initial step of the research is to analyze and understand the

problem of the study La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post, which demonstrates the

initial information needed to conduct the study.

The grounded theory will be used as a research method in data collection and

analysis. Data collection would include semi structured viewing, participant observation,

and focus groups. Texts and documents pertaining to problems and issues experienced in

the existing La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post will also be included in data collection.

Through grounded theory, the researchers will continuously review the earlier stages of

the research. During the onset of meetings and interviews, the researchers will extract

information from all of the concerned people in the study, namely: farmers, traders,

porters, packers, retailers and consumers. After which, the researchers will ground the

information gathered or perceive the situations/issues in the views of the participants and

analyze thereafter. Researchers will move back and forth between the two stated

processes in order to identify the most appropriate concept that can be applied and upon

the second interview, the researchers, through participatory design, will introduce the

concept of Farmers Market. About two (2) to three (3) schematic designs/proposals of

La Trinidad Farmers Market will be presented and discussed before the

participants/users until the researchers arrive at the best solution to the problem.
 Site analysis will be done to establish a detailed assessment of the projects

strength, weakness, opportunities and treats which will be highly considered in the study

and for the proposed design. Along with site analysis, ocular visits, site inventory and

documentation will be conducted as a preparatory step to site planning. All information

related to the site should be gathered to identify additional needs of the study.

An extensive literature review will also be conducted to provide background

information on the meaning and the evolution process of Retail Markets. This literature

review includes research on the nature and design of Farmers Markets and background of

the city to further learn the different aspects that are essential in the study. Intensive

research on foreign and local precedent markets will be conducted to help the researchers

discuss the technologies that can be applied to the study and to justify the need of spaces

and relation of areas and design that will be applicable to the problem.

Informal interviews to the users of the markets will be conducted by the

researchers as the researchers visit precedent markets for the research. All information

and data gathered by the researcher will be critically analyzed and studied by cross-

examining if it complies with the existing national development controls and design

guidelines for Retail Markets.