By Diann Calucin
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. joined the local government of Valenzuela City led by Mayor Weslie “Wes” Gatchalian in the launch of the city’s “Kadiwa ng Pasko” caravan at Malanday National High School covered court on Saturday, Dec. 17.
Mayor Gatchalian welcomed and expressed his gratitude to President Marcos and the agencies that contributed to the implementation of the caravan.
He announced that there will be two more Kadiwa stores in the city that will be located at the Disiplina Village and Amva Housing in Ugong, Valenzuela City.
The said stores were under the partnership of the Department of Agriculture and the city government.
President Marcos said there are already over 350 Kadiwa caravans in the country.
"Hindi natin alam kung saan na tutungo ang mga presyo na mga bilihin at nasabay pa ito sa Pasko. Ito ay aming munting pagtulong para naman maging mas masaya ang ating Pasko ngayong taong ito (We don't know where the commodity prices will lead us, and it even coincided with Christmas. This is our little help to make our Christmas happier this year)," the President said in his short address.
He also checked the products being sold by the vendors at lower prices.
The participating vendors are from the project's partnered agencies including the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), National Food Authority (NFA), and beneficiaries of Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced (TUPAD) Program workers of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
The President thanked the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the city that brought their products to the caravan.
"Kaya’t mabuti ito, itong Kadiwa, hindi lamang nabibigyan ng pagkakataon ang taong-bayan na makabili ng mga kailangan na bilihin sa mas mababang presyo, ngunit nabibigyan din natin ng pagkakataon ang mga local producer ng mga maliliit na produkto (Kadiwa not only gives residents the chance to buy the necessary goods at a lower price, but also opportunity to local producers of small products)," he said.
The Kadiwa ng Pasko caravans will continue even after Christmas, he added.
The caravan sold noche buena (Christmas eve dinner) essentials at lower prices including rice which is sold at P25 per kilo, onion shallots at P150 per kilo, and native onions at P170 per kilo.
The caravan was open until 3 p.m. on Saturday.