DOLE, DA partner to expand Kadiwa program nationwide

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) have joined forces to accelerate the nationwide expansion of the Kadiwa ng  Pangulo (KNP) program.

This partnership was formalized on Friday through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that would implement the KNP and the DOLE's Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP).

DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma emphasized that a key priority was establishing Kadiwa stores in areas with large labor populations.

“Bibilisan po natin ang implementasyon para maramdaman agad ng ating karaniwang  mangaggawa at ng kanilang pamilya ang serbisyo ng pamahalaan,” he said  in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

(We will accelerate the implementation so that our workers and their families  can immediately feel the impact of government services.)

“Layunin ng KNP, lahat sana ng areas natin sa buong bansa ay magkaroon ng Kadiwa ng Pangulo para  tiyakin yung supply. Kasi papasok dito hindi lang yung ginagawa o  produce ng mga farmers natin, at mga fisherfolks, pati rin siguro yung  mga maliliit na negosyo pwedeng maging bahagi niyan,” Laguesma noted.

(We aim to have a Kadiwa ng Pangulo in every area across the country to ensure a stable supply of goods. This includes not just  products from our farmers and fisherfolk, but potentially small  businesses as well.)

The Kadiwa ng Pangulo program, particularly its Rice-for-All and P29 programs, provides Filipinos access to affordable rice and other agricultural commodities, such as vegetables,  meat, and fish.

The partnership will not only provide additional manpower for KNP operations but also connect accredited suppliers and farmer cooperatives to Kadiwa stores. Beneficiaries will also receive technical assistance, capacity-building support, and further expansion of the KNP and DILP programs.

The DA has set a target of opening about 300 KNP centers in 2025, with a long-term goal of 1,500  centers by the end of the Marcos administration’s term in 2028.

In addition, following the success of the Rice-for-All program, which offers rice at a subsidized price of P40 per kilo, the DA plans to introduce even cheaper rice varieties at Kadiwa stalls in January 2025. — DVM, GMA Integrated News