Highlighting the achievements and potentials of the KADIWA program to agri-entrepreneurial advancement, the Department of Agriculture (DA) launched the first KADIWA ng Pangulo (KNP) Expo at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Pasay City on November 26.
Running for three days and with 65 participating government agencies, farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs), micro-, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and KADIWA consolidators from various parts of the country, the expo aims to showcase high-quality agri-fishery products and notable accomplishments of the KNP beneficiaries and partner agencies, as well as the prospects and the future of the KNP Program.
DA Assistant Secretary for Agribusiness, Marketing, and Consumer Affairs Atty. Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra, who is also the Overall Lead for the KNP Expo, noted that as of November 15, a total of 41 KADIWA Centers served as outlets for the P29 Rice and Rice for All (PhP45/kg) programs of the Department.
According to Asec. Velicaria-Guevarra, P29 Rice has sold 882.793 metric tons (MT) amounting to P25.60 million (M) since July 5, 2024. She added that the Rice for All initiative, which retails rice at P45 per kilo, has earned P8.57 M from selling 192.76 MT stocks since July 15.
Meanwhile, this year’s retail selling activities of 287 KADIWA Stores and over 3,000 Pop-Up Stores and On-Wheels events generated a P808.10 M income. The KNP inter-agency events held at 85 sites since February 2023 also contributed P213.51 M to the Program’s success.
The expo also formally unveiled the Bigger, Better, and More KNP para sa Bagong Pilipinas, which will entail the onboarding of center consolidators, members of the private sector, distribution hubs, and LGUs; the introduction of the KADIWA Center that has regular operations to supply complete set of basic and prime commodities; and the introduction of the KADIWA digital application to align with the Department’s digitalization efforts and to provide swift and efficient service to all stakeholders.
“With the Bigger, Better, and More KNP Program, we are taking bold steps towards realizing the vision of a Masaganang Bagong Pilipinas—a new, prosperous Philippines built on the strength of its agricultural roots and the resilience of its people. The KNP Program is not just about helping our farmers; it is about helping the Filipino people. Every time we purchase a product through our KADIWA, we are making a choice to support our farmers to invest in our local economy and to take part in the journey towards a Masaganang Bagong Pilipinas,” Asec. Velicaria-Guevarra expressed.
The Kadiwa Program started as an initiative to link local agri-food producers and the public and enhance food mobilization and access to affordable, safe, and secure food in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic—a time when production costs and commodity prices were soaring.
KNP is supported by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., though a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed on July 17, 2023 by the DA, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), and the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) as members of the KNP Convergence. As such, KNP sites will be established nationwide, expanding market opportunities for farmers and fisherfolk, creating more livelihood opportunities, combating poverty, and ensuring food security for all Filipinos.
“The combined expertise and resources of these agencies have been instrumental in the success of the KNP Program and its beneficiaries. Ang Kadiwa ng Pangulo ay isang mahalagang bahagi ng adhikain ng ating Pangulo na palakasin ang sektor ng agrikultura. Sa pamamagitan ng KNP, natutulungan natin ang mga magsasaka na direktang makabenta ng kanilang produkto. At dahil dito, napapataas ang kanilang kita habang natutulungan naman natin ang mga mamimili na magkaroon ng access sa mas mura at masustansiyang pagkain,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also shared a message of support, reflecting on how the KNP Program is a manifestation of success that is achieved through unity.
“Ang bawat produkto na naririto ay kumakatawan sa dedikasyon ng ating mga manggagawa sa agrikultura na walang sawang kumikilos upang matustusan ang mga pangangailangan ng kanilang pamilya at ating mga komunidad. Sama-sama nating ipagpatuloy ang pagbuo ng isang maunlad na Pilipinas kung saan sagad ang mga oportunidad ang para sa lahat,” he shared.
The launching of the KNP Expo was attended by DA officials and staff, members of the KNP Convergence, KADIWA beneficiaries, members of the private sector, and the general public. ### (Krystelle Ymari A. Vergara, DA-AFID)
