San Jose de Buenavista Build, Lease and Transfer (BLT) Schemes
In May 1993, a fire totally destroyed the 0.8- hectare public market that paralyzed trade in San Jose de Buenavista, a third class municipality of Antique. It consequently displaced businessmen and vendors who rely on the market as the main source of their income. Even worse, the municipality lacked the resources to finance the construction and rehabilitation of the market. To solve the problem, the municipal government decided to implement the build, lease and transfer scheme as an innovative and cost-efficient strategy for rehabilitating and rebuilding the public market. The construction of the new building, presently known as the Business Park could have cost the municipal government Php 40 million and was achieved only at Php 12 million because stall owners themselves shouldered the remaining balance.
The municipal government only built the posts and the floor for the second level. On the part of the stall owners, they only had to build three walls while the adjacent stall owner built the fourth one. The market only charges Php1/sq. m. for 32 sq. meters amounting to Php 960 monthly. With the passage of the Municipal Tax Code, they were given 25 years to operate the stalls. The project prioritized former stall holders and other local entrepreneurs for the remaining spaces. For instance, Jollibee Food Corporation was denied its application to occupy the second floor because it will mean the death of small eateries and bakeries. It showcased the political will of the municipal government to safeguard the interest of small businesses. It also led to the creation of the San Jose Business Park Businessmen Association who in turn formulated policies on sanitation, garbage collection, monitoring of their respective areas and eventually take-over the management of the business park. Almost two years after the fire incident, the volume of businesses increased by 95%. An additional 200% increase in the number of occupants is expected when the second floor becomes fully operational.
This program is recognized as one of the Ten Outstanding Programs in the 1999 Galing Pook Awards.