Here's why Marcos is bent on opening more Kadiwa stores
While the current goal of the government is to increase the number of Kadiwa stores around the country, the bigger picture is to level prices of goods sold in Kadiwa stores and in the markets.
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has said that Kadiwa outlets in the country will continue to offer basic goods at lower prices beyond Christmas season but declared that it will only last until markets can finally offer the same prices of goods as the Kadiwa outlets.
"For us what we are looking at — once we get to a point where it’s no longer necessary, where the prices in the markets are the same as what we can give in the Kadiwa, then we don’t need the Kadiwa anymore," Marcos said on Thursday, Dec. 1.
The President is expecting that by first quarter next year, the prices of commodities will "normalize" in markets.
"As it stands right now, in terms of supply, we’re okay until at the very least, February, March of next year. Hopefully by then, the prices of commodities in the market will have normalized— is what I call it, na medyo hindi na masyadong papalit-palit (is no longer constantly changing)," he said.
The Chief Executive further said that while the country has yet to reach that point, the program will continue to widen its reach in the national level, covering more places.
But once the situation normalizes, Kadiwa program will go back to its original function of bridging producers from far-flung areas to consumers.
"Maybe, just for distribution para sa mga (for the) far-flung areas. Diyan na siguro papasok 'yung dating programa na may mobile na Kadiwa (This is where the previous program of mobile Kadiwa outlet comes in). So maybe we’ll get — but we’re not yet there at that point, pinapakalat lang natin (we're just widening the reach) around the country right now," Marcos said.
Last week, more Kadiwa stores opened in eight Metro Manila cities and in Cainta, Rizal. These are in addition to the 14 sites that were initially opened during the "Kadiwa ng Pasko" nationwide launch on Nov. 16.
The Kadiwa ng Pasko program aims to promote local products and empower the farming community by providing a direct farm-to-consumer food supply chain, eliminating several marketing layers and allowing producers to earn more while providing consumers with affordable high-quality local products.
The President was in Quezon City on Thursday to visit the Kadiwa caravan in the city, which, he said, has become a model for other local government units in Metro Manila.