Agri Party-list Representative Wilbert Lee on Tuesday expressed his support for the extension of the “Kadiwa ng Pasko” program beyond the Christmas season and even amplified his interest to institutionalize it and be implemented on a longer and much larger scale.
“Suportado natin ang pagpapatuloy ng Kadiwa kahit sa susunod na taon (We support the extension of the Kadiwa even next year). In fact, we should be looking at institutionalizing this program and implementing it on a much larger scale because this is a program that helps not just consumers but also producers,” Lee said.
The program, which was launched nationwide in November, aims to provide a market to local farmers and small enterprises while also giving the public access to affordable food and other basic necessities. In other words, it can help Filipino families cope with high food prices.
Consumers can buy National Food Authority (NFA) rice for as low as PHP25 per kilo, and sugar at PHP70 per kilo, at the Kadiwa ng Pasko rolling stores.
The Kadiwa stores, the lawmaker said, provide the ideal template that the country should achieve to fulfill the public’s right to cheap and healthy food, and ensuring the viability of farmers and fisherfolk’s livelihood.
“Ganito naman talaga dapat ang target ng agrikultura natin, na mapababa natin ang mga presyo ng mga bilihin upang hindi magutom ang mga mamamayan, at ang mabigyan ng disenteng pagkakakitaan ang mga magsasaka at mangingisda. Sa ganitong sistema, winner tayo lahat (This is exactly what the target of our agriculture should be, in order to lower the price of commodities and prevent starvation among our people, and to give our farmers and fishermen a decent livelihood. In this manner, we are all winners),” the solon said.
The lawmaker also said that the extension of the Kadiwa program would be “at least a year-long gift for Filipino families groaning under the weight of expensive food.”
“Napakalaking tulong, lalo pa’t patuloy na umaaray ang madla, at nangangamba dahil sa pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin (It’s a great help, especially amid a suffering public, who are worried because of surging prices of basic commodities),” Lee said.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ fourth-quarter Consumer Expectations Survey (CES) noted that Filipino consumers’ sentiment was “more pessimistic”.
The overall consumer index weakened to -14.6 percent from the previous quarter’s -12.9 percent due to concerns over surging commodity prices and household expenses, low income, and fewer available jobs and working family members, the BSP said. (PNA)
