THE administration’s Kadiwa ng Pangulo project has recorded an estimated P5.3 million in total sales since its launch in various parts of the country over the past month, an official from the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Saturday, April 1, 2023.
DA Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (DA-Amas) Director Junibert de Sagun said six Kadiwa ng Pangulo have so far been established, with which the first being in Cebu City in March.
“Bawat event tumataas ang sales...Parang wala pong panahon na magtamad-tamad kasi mahihiya ka doon sa huling sales,” he said.
(Every event, sales increase... It's like there's no time to be lazy because you'll feel pressured by the last sales.)
The Kadiwa ng Pangulo was launched under the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who also serves as the secretary of the DA. It is the continuation of the DA’s Kadiwa program that was enhanced at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic to help stabilize prices and supply of staple foods that were impacted by the enforcement of community lockdowns.
It aims to establish a direct market linkage between the producers and the consumers and reduce trading layers to increase their profit.
The National Government also launched Kadiwa ng Pangulo in Manila City, Batangas, Quezon City, Camarines Sur and Limay, Bataan.
With the help of the local government units (LGUs), De Sagun added that sellers at all of the Kadiwa sites do not pay a fee for the stalls they put up in the areas.
He also said that their work at the DA is very challenging because they have to strike a balance between serving the farmers and fisherfolk and delivering the goods to consumers.
“Siguro po, hindi naman bawal magbenta ng napakamurang imported sa mga palengke. Ang inaano nalang po natin, basta sa Kadiwa ang ibibenta lang pong mga bigas ay mga produkto ng mga farmers,” De Sagun said, referring to the availability of cheap imported rice being sold in public markets.
(Maybe it's not illegal to sell very cheap imported goods in the markets. What we are only emphasizing is that in Kadiwa, only rice and products from farmers should be sold.)
De Sagun reiterated the government’s appeal to the public to support and promote locally made products. (SunStar Philippines)