Agriculture Assistant Secretary for Agribusiness, Marketing and Consumer Affairs and KADIWA ng Pangulo Program head Atty. Genevieve E. Velicaria-Guevarra said the program comes at a crucial time for food supply stability.

"This program is truly timely. Amid tensions in the Middle East that may affect global food supply and food prices, it is important to ensure that every Filipino family has sufficient and affordable rice," Velicaria-Guevarra said in Filipino.

Consumer Affairs and KADIWA

The Maco project, worth P6.8 million, includes improved storage facilities and a hauling truck to support the movement and distribution of farm goods. More than 500 farmers from 12 associations and cooperatives in the Masara line barangays are expected to benefit from the facility.

Following the turnover in Maco, the DA also handed over a P5-million KADIWA Bagsakan Center project to the municipal government of Carmen, Davao del Norte. The project includes a KADIWA store and a transport vehicle to help move agricultural products from farms to local markets.

P5-million KADIWA Bagsakan Center

The Carmen facility is expected to support 24 farmers' cooperatives and associations with around 2,926 producer-beneficiaries while strengthening direct farmer-to-consumer sales and lowering logistics costs.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the government plans to expand the reach of the subsidized rice program this year.

Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr

"Our goal this year is to reach around 60 million Filipinos and give them access to affordable rice and other essential food through KADIWA and similar programs. This is part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s vision of ensuring food security for every Filipino, especially at a time of global uncertainty affecting food supply and prices," Tiu Laurel said.

The program prioritizes vulnerable groups such as senior citizens, persons with disabilities, solo parents, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries, transport workers, minimum wage earners, farmers, fisherfolk and public school teachers identified by local government units.

This program is truly timely. Amid tensions in the Middle East that may affect global food supply and food prices, it is important to ensure that every Filipino family has sufficient and affordable rice.

Why this lands now

Fresh produce runs on seasons that ignore calendars, and most supply problems begin as nothing more complicated than weather in the wrong week.

The short version

  • The Maco project, worth P6.8 million, includes improved storage facilities and a hauling truck to support the movement and distribution of farm goods
  • The Carmen facility is expected to support 24 farmers' cooperatives and associations with around 2,926 producer-beneficiaries while strengthening direct farmer-to-consumer sales and lowering logistics costs
  • Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the government plans to expand the reach of the subsidized rice program this year
  • "Our goal this year is to reach around 60 million Filipinos and give them access to affordable rice and other essential food through KADIWA and similar programs

Common questions

What should you know about Consumer Affairs and KADIWA?

Agriculture Assistant Secretary for Agribusiness, Marketing and Consumer Affairs and KADIWA ng Pangulo Program head Atty.

Why does it matter?

Amid tensions in the Middle East that may affect global food supply and food prices, it is important to ensure that every Filipino family has sufficient and affordable rice," Velicaria-Guevarra said in Filipino.

What happens next?

More than 500 farmers from 12 associations and cooperatives in the Masara line barangays are expected to benefit from the facility.

The bottom line

How this plays out in the produce section will take time to become clear. For now it is a development worth following rather than judging.