SEVERAL government agencies signed on Monday, July 17, 2023, a memorandum of agreement (MOA) aimed at institutionalizing and sustaining the establishment of Kadiwa ng Pangulo in all cities and municipalities across the country.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. witnessed the signing of the MOA between various government agencies, including the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Presidential Communications Office (PCO), Presidential Management Staff (PMS) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in San Fernando City, Pampanga.
“Hindi kayang gawin ng National Government na maikalat lahat ng ating gustong ipadala na mga murang pagkain kung hindi ating kasama at ka-partner ang local government,” Marcos said.
(The National Government cannot distribute all the cheap food we want to send if the local government is not our partner.)
“Kaya’t ito’y isa na namang magandang halimbawa para ipakita kung papaano... nagtutulungan, hindi lamang ang National Government, hindi lamang ang mga iba’t ibang ahensiya, departamento ng National Government, kundi pati na rin ang mga local governments,” he added.
(So this is another good example to show how... working together, not only the National Government, not only the different agencies, departments of the National Government, but also the local governments.)
In a bid to sustain the Kadiwa program, Marcos said the DA is working to boost grain and fish production while also finding solutions to the diseases that plague the livestock and poultry industries.
To boost the fishery sector, he said the government is putting up cold storage facilities in coastal areas to minimize or prevent spoilage of catch.
Marcos also sought for the assistance of various sectors to boost production of basic commodities which will be sold in Kadiwa markets that will favor the consumers.
“Binabantayan natin nang mabuti ang mga fishing grounds na i-develop natin para dumami ang isda. Naibaba na natin ang presyo ng ilang produkto ngunit kailangan na ngayon natin tuloy-tuloy na ipababa at paramihin ang produksyon,” he said.
(We keep a close eye on the fishing grounds that we will develop so that the fish can multiply. We have already lowered the price of some products but now, we need to continuously lower and increase production.)
“Ngayon kung mayroon tayong sobra, mae-export na natin. Pero hindi basta-basta mage-export. Kailangan mai-package natin, kailangan competitive tayo kung mage-export tayo,” he added.
(Now if we have a surplus, we can export it. But it won't just be exported. We need to package; we need to be competitive if we are going to export.)
Under the agreement, the DA shall serve as the lead convenor of the Kadiwa ng Pangulo operations, while the DTI, DOLE, and DILG shall serve as co-convenors.
The Kadiwa ng Pangulo is a market linkage facilitation program of the DA that aims to make products such as rice, fish, poultry and livestock, fruits and vegetables, and other basic commodities accessible, available, and affordable to poor families. (SunStar Philippines)