Lawmaker bats for institutionalization of Kadiwa Centers
WITH the government aggressively pursuing the establishment of Kadiwa centers around the country, a lawmaker has said the initial success of the Department of Agriculture (DA) program is a “proof of concept” that should convince House leaders to prioritize the passage of a measure that will institutionalize the agribusiness and marketing initiative intended to help link local farmers and fishers directly to consumers.
AGRI Party list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee, principal author of House Bill (HB) No. 3957 or the Kadiwa Agri-Food Terminal Act, pointed out that “data from the DA shows that by April 2021, 41,357 farmers had already benefited from the Kadiwa program, generating sales of P7.241 billion and serving nearly 4 million households.”
“Patunay ito na napakalaki ng potensyal ng programang ito, at marami pang pwedeng makinabang kung palalawakin natin ang Kadiwa,” said the legislator from Bicol.
Filed by Lee in August 2022, the Kadiwa Agri-Food Terminal Act aims to scale up the Kadiwa food terminal model and effectively promote the growth of the local agricultural markets while providing consumers with affordable agriculture and fisheries products.
“Once rolled out in every city and municipality, these agri-food terminals and centers can serve as a location where local farmers and fisherfolk can sell their goods directly to the consumers and the general market,” explained Lee, who stressed that prices in Kadiwa centers should be lower by 10 to 20 percent “since bringing the products won’t entail high transportation costs.”
The proposed measure mandates local government units (LGUs) to establish Kadiwa Agri-food terminals in their localities in one of the following modes:
· Kadiwa Retail or Direct Selling: physical food terminals to accommodate farmers and fisherfolk products for sale to customers and food suppliers
· Kadiwa on Wheels: rolling stores in vehicles to bring agri-fishery products to barangays and villages
· Kadiwa sa Pamahalaan: trading centers within the proximity of the government’s property office through partnership with the DA or other government agency within the LGU.
The government recently expanded the Kadiwa initiative on July 17 when President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. led the nationwide launching of “Kadiwa ng Pangulo” in San Fernando, Pampanga.
The launch was formalized through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (M O A) with national government agencies, including the Department of the Interior and Local Government, to assist LGUs and to facilitate the establishment of Kadiwa centers in their respective jurisdictions.
