The government is close to achieving his campaign promise of P20 per kilo of rice, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said on Thursday, March 16, as he launched the first "Kadiwa ng Pangulo" initiative in the Bicol region. Speaking during the Kadiwa launch in Pili, Camarines Sur, the chief executive noted how the program became successful in bringing affordable basic necessities to communities. Kadiwa ng Pangulo started as Kadiwa ng Pasko in December last year, or during the height of the staggering prices of onions and other commodities. “Makikita ninyo, halimbawa ‘yung bigas, ‘yung aking pangarap na sinabi na noong bago akong upo na sana mapababa natin ang presyo ng bigas ng P20. Hindi pa tayo umaabot doon, dahan-dahan palapit. Nasa P25 na tayo. Kaunti na lang, maibababa natin ‘yan (You can see, for example, the rice that I dreamed to be P20 before I assumed office. We have not reached that yet, but it’s coming soon slowly. We are at P25. In just a short while, we can lower it),” Marcos told the audience. “Tapos ‘yung ginawa natin, halimbawa doon sa sibuyas, ganoon din para… Biglang nagtaasan lahat eh kulang sa produksyon. Ginawa namin ay dinagdagan namin para bumaba rin ang presyo (What we did, for example with the onions, it’s similar… They all suddenly increased in prices because of the lack of production. What we did is we added to it to lower the prices,” the President, who is also the Agriculture secretary, added. Asked in a media interview after the event if goal to lower rice prices has a timetable, he replied: "Lahat 'yan (Everything is) ASAP (as soon as possible)." The chief executive explained many factors, including weather condition, affect the prices of rice. The Marcos administration has so far launched more than 500 Kadiwa ng Pangulo outlets nationwide. Aside from providing the consumers with cheap basic goods, the President said the program also aims to assist local farmers and producers to secure direct access to markets. “Binibigyan din natin ng pagkakataon ‘yung mga maliliit na negosyo sa bawat lugar kung saan ‘yung Kadiwa para mayroon silang lugar para ipagbili ang kanilang mga produkto (We are also giving small players in each place where Kadiwa is a chance so that they will have a place where they can sell their products),” the President pointed out. Marcos explained that the program is in line with his government’s thrust to assist micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. During the launching, the chief executive also thanked the different agencies that supported the initiative, such as the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). At Kadiwa outlets, the National Food Authority (NFA) sells rice at reduced prices while the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) offers affordable seafood products to consumers.