The Caloocan City government, through the City Public Employment Services Office (PESO), launched the national govenrment’s “Kadiwa ng Pasko” project that aims to provide a platform to Filipino merchants to sell their products especially during the holiday season at the Caloocan City Hall-North on Wednesday, Nov. 16.

“Ngayong magpa-Pasko, nais natin ibaling ang atensyon ng ating mga kababayan sa mga produktong sariling atin. Mura pero dekalidad na pagkain at pangregalo ang hatid ng Kadiwa sa Pasko (This Christmas, we want to turn the attention of our people to our own products. Kadiwa ng Pasko brings cheap but quality food and gifts),” Caloocan City Mayor Dale Gonzalo “Along” Malapitan said.

Merchants such as Mama Agnes Enterprise, Azulis Bag Collections, Ely-Knows Enterprises, Camsi Trading, and SBM Herbal Soap participated in the said project, according to the city government.

“Hiling din natin na makahanap sa Kadiwa ang ating mga kababayan ng alternatibo sa kanilang mga pangangailangan o nakasanayan na bilhin lalo’t patuloy na tumataas ang presyo ng mga pangunahing bilihin (We also hope for the people to find in Kadiwa an alternative for their needs or for the products the are used to buying especially since the price of basic goods continues to rise),” PESO Officer-in-charge Ms. Violeta Gonzales said.

Gonzales said that in the program, a kilo of rice is sold only for P25 while sugar is at P70 per kilo, much cheaper than those being sold in stores and markets.

The city will also launch the Kadiwa ng Pasko at the Caloocan City Hall-South on November 25.

The Kadiwa ng Pasko, a project of the national government and the Department of Agriculture, is a pop-up market of low-priced local products aligned with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s initiative to help farmers and merchants in the country to establish and sell their goods, the city government said.