President Marcos Jr. yesterday said the Kadiwa project would extend beyond the Christmas holidays but only until the prices of food and other basic commodities are already stable or almost the same as the rates offered in the government-initiated caravan.
The President, in a chance interview on the sidelines of the Kadiwa ng Pasko caravan in Quezon City, said the national government still has funds and supply to sustain the program until Februaryor March next year and that it is partnering with local government units (LGUs) to ensure the continuity of the program.
“Once we get to a point where it’s (Kadiwa) no longer necessary, where the prices in the markets are the same as what we can give in the Kadiwa, then we don’t need the Kadiwa anymore… As it stands right now, in terms of supply, we’re okay until at the very least, February, March of next year. Hopefully by then, the prices of commodities in the market will have ‘normalized,’ is what I call it…So I think we’re okay until then. That’s our best projection,” Marcos said.
He said the government is also considering continuing the program, through the mobile Kadiwa, in far-flung and geographically-challenged areas where food and other basic supplies are limited.
Under Kadiwa, the national government buys the products directly from the sellers/suppliers at low prices and resellsthese in the caravans at the same price that it bought them.
Farmers, fisherfolk and micro, small andmedium-size enterprises also sell their products at the Kadiwa caravan.
The President last month led the simultaneous launch of the Kadiwa ng Pasko program in 14 areas, 11 of which were in Metro Manila, where the public could buy more affordable food items such as rice at P25 per kilo.
Marcos said earlier the plan was to extend the Kadiwa project beyond Christmas and expand it nationwide.
In his speech, the President had said he wants the Kadiwa ng Pasko project to become a national program through tie-ups with different LGUs.
Marcos also lauded Quezon City for leading the Kadiwa project which later became a model for other LGUs in Metro Manila.
“The Office of the President and our LGUs should work together to slowly spread it. That is why it should be sustained,” he said in Filipino.
Support agencies for the project include the departments of Trade and Industry, the Interior and Local Government, Social Welfare and Development, and Labor and Employment.
