The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Monday said it plans to operationalize 179 Kadiwa ng Pangulo (KNP) sites before the end of the year.
This is in line with the directives of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to make cheaper goods, particularly rice through Rice for All and P29, readily available to Filipinos following the effects of successive typhoons in Metro Manila.
Kadiwa allows farmers and other food producers to directly sell their products sans intermidiaries through the DA.
The Rice for All offers well-milled rice at PHP42 per kilo; while the P29 program refers to the sale of aging but good quality rice stocks from the National Food Authority to senior citizens, beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, persons with disabilities, and solo parents.
In a press conference on the Kadiwa ng Pangulo Expo 2024, DA Assistant Secretary Genevieve-Velicaria Guevarra said there are 108 existing KNP (Kadiwa of the President) centers in the country — 41 under the DA and 67 stores under the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).
“By end of December, ang target po natin ay ma-increase natin ng 179 dahil nga po (our target is to increase it to 179 because) through the help of NIA, nakita natin na marami pa silang stores na ginawa nilang (we saw that they have many stores that they converted to) Kadiwa ng Pangulo Centers,” she said, citing expansions in the Visayas and Mindanao.
KNP centers operate mostly in Metro Manila, while others are in Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Bulacan and Cebu provinces.
By mid-2025, she said they would expand it to 300 KNP centers and to 1,500 by the end of the term of President Marcos in 2028.
“So, ‘yung pagpaparami po nito (our expansion) is really crucial and it’s very important that hindi lang po dito sa Metro Manila iyong pagpaparami natin, pati kundi dapat bawat region (not only in Metro Manila but also in each region),” Guevarra said.
Guevarra noted that the target number of KNP expansion is achievable through the conversion of existing Kadiwa stores to centers, as well as partnership with other government agencies including the Philippine Carabao Center, National Housing Authority, and Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost).
“PHLPost has offices directly sa pinaka-munisipyo. Tapos meron pa silang mga trucks. Logistic-wise sila po ‘yung (within the municipal offices. They also have trucks. Logistic-wise, they are) in the best position to help us be able to transport all these goods in various areas in the country,” she added.
Besides KNP expansion, the DA targets to procure 45 additional vehicles to supplement the 32 existing Kadiwa-on-wheels.
For the Christmas season, the DA said Filipinos can also access cheaper goods from KNP sites.
“Mayroon naman tayong mga partners talaga, mayroon tayong i-e-expect na mas murang Noche Buena items ngayong pasko sa Kadiwa (We really have partners and we are expecting cheaper Noche Buena items this Christmas in Kadiwa),” Guevarra said.
The DA also aims to partner with more farmer cooperatives and major private industrial companies through the KNP Expo 2024 on Nov. 26 to 28 at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.
“May nakikipag-coordinate din sa ating office na mga (There are those directly coordinating with our office like) big companies, restaurants that are very much interested to partner with our cooperatives. Gusto nila (they want to be) under Kadiwa ng Pangulo program, doon po sila makakuha ng (they will get the) supply for their businesses,” Guevarra said.
The KNP Expo 2024 features Kadiwa products, regional products and success stories of Kadiwa partner cooperatives, among others. (PNA)
