DA, DTI put up Kadiwa ng Pangulo for Mayon evacuees

TABACO CITY, Albay – The Department of Agriculture (DA)-Bicol and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Bicol organized a Kadiwa ng Pangulo on Thursday, June 22, for Mayon Volcano evacuees from this city staying at the San Antonio Elementary School to enable them to buy cheaper basic commodities and agricultural products. Noel Bunao, DTI Albay officer-in-charge, said that the Kadiwa ng Pangulo was a one-day event where evacuees from Barangays Magapo, Buang, Oson, Nagsipit, Comon, and Buhian were able to buy fresh and affordable goods from participating retailers. “Ito po ay diskwento caravan at Kadiwa ng Pangulo. Request po ito ni (Tabao City) Mayor Krisel para sa ating mga evacuees at saka mga senior citizens dito sa Barangay San Antonio. Magkasama po dito ang DA at DTI. Si DTI po mga paninda natin dito ay mga basic commodities, mga agri products naman ay kay DA (This is a discount caravan and Kadiwa ng Pangulo. This was a request of Mayor Krisel for evacuees and senior citizens from Barangay San Antonio. This is a joint project of the DA and DTI. DTI sells basic commodities while agricultural products for the DA),” Bunao said. Bunao said that every evacuee had a chance to buy discounted products from participating retailers. "'Yung mga paninda na basic commodities ay itinitinda ng mga distributors na na-invite natin dito sa province of Albay. Mga discounted price po ‘yan (These basic commodities are sold by distributors from the province of Albay. These products are discounted)," Bunao added. Adelina Losa, chief of Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division of the DA, said that products being sold at the Kadiwa ng Pangulo came from different part of the Bicol region. At least 45 stores selling rice, vegetables, meat, fish, and other products 15 percent lower than the prevailing market price participated in the caravan. “May plano po ang Department of Agriculture na mag-conduct ng Kadiwa ng Pangulo sa iba’t-ibang evacuation sites para po itong mga produkto na aanihin especially ng mga evacuees ay puwede nating bilhin at ibenta sa mga evacuation centers (The DA plans to hold Kadiwa ng Pangulo in different evacuation sites so that we can purchase products from evacuees and sell these to evacuation centers)," Losa said. Meanwhile, Sen. Bong Go distributed cash assistance to evacuees staying at San Antonio High School. This was provided by the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).