DA to sell P43/kg. rice in 41 Kadiwa ng Pangulo sites

MANILA – More Filipinos will have access to cheaper rice as 41 Kadiwa ng Pangulo sites will sell mixed local and imported well-milled rice for P43 per kilogram under the Rice for All program, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Thursday.

The lowering of price for the Rice for All to P43/kg, from the current P45/kg, will coincide with the expansion of the program, along with the P29 program, or the sale of aging but good quality rice stocks from the National Food Authority (NFA) to senior citizens, beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), persons with disabilities (PWDs), and solo parents.

"We will be adding 20 new additional sites beginning tomorrow (Friday), and by the end of the year, an additional 169 sites. Hopefully, we can reach more than 1,500 na kabuuan po natin na Kadiwa (Kadiwa sites overall)," DA Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said in a press conference at the agency's press office in Quezon City.

In addition to the 21 existing Kadiwa ng Pangulo sites, the expanded operations of Rice for All and P29 will include Ocean Fish – Barangay 8, Barangay 28 Zone 3, Site 1, and Barangay 28 Zone 3 Caloocan City – Site 2 in Caloocan City; Kalt Alles – NFPC-PFDA (Navotas Fish Port Complex-Philippine Fisheries Development Authority), North Bay Boulevard, North Navotas, Navotas; Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – Longos, 18 Tuazon, Barangay Potrero, and Kalt Alles – Potrero in, Malabon; and Barangay. Daang Bakal, Barangay Hulo, and Barangay Addition Hills in Mandaluyong.

Also included are BFCT Bagsakan, No. 1 Marcos Hi-way, Brgy. Tanong, Fortune Barangay Hall, Barangay Fortune, and Concepcion Uno Barangay Hall, Concepcion Uno in Marikina City; Lot 12 Blk 4 R Thaddeus St. Marietta Romeo Village Barangay Sta. Lucia in Pasig City; No 4 Geronimo, Philand Drive, Barangay Pasong Tamo, Zamora St. Cor A. Bonifacio, Barangay Sta. Lucia, Alley 4, Bulacan St., Barangay Payatas B, and Sauyo in Quezon City; as well as Barangay Canlubang, Calamba in Laguna.

The DA said these areas are prioritized considering the density of target beneficiaries, as well as the availability of permanent or semi-permanent structures that can store rice stocks and other agricultural commodities.

As of Wednesday, the Rice for All and P29 programs have benefited 142,829 households from the existing 21 Kadiwa ng Pangulo sites.

By program and volume, the DA has sold 126,000 kg. of rice under the Rice for All; and 723,000 kg. under the P29 program.

De Mesa, meanwhile, assured around 10 percent to 20 percent lower selling prices of agricultural commodities at the Kadiwa ng Pangulo, especially now that retail prices of rice have started to drop in local markets.

"Iyong bigas natin, normally P5 lower naman doon sa (Out rice, it's normally P5 lower than the) prevailing market prices," he said.

As of Wednesday, the prevailing price of imported regular-milled rice in Metro Manila is set at P42/kg. to P48/kg. and P45/kg. to P55/kg. for imported well-milled rice, according to DA-Bantay Presyo.

The local regular-milled rice ranges from P45/kg. to P50/kg., while the local well-milled rice ranges from P45/kg. to P55/kg.

Levi Bautista, chairperson of SRT Alcala cooperatives, meanwhile, lauded the DA's move to expand the Kadiwa ng Pangulo.

In a separate interview, he said this will help them secure a sure market and prevent supply wastage during harvest seasons.

"Kapag aasa ka sa mga middlemen, napakakawawa ang farmers. Kaya ito po iyong inaasahan namin ngayon na magso-solve sa problema (If you will rely on middlemen, the farmers will suffer. That's why we are hoping for this program to solve the problem)," Bautista said.

For their cooperative alone, he said more than 5,000 farmer-members from the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, and Calabarzon will benefit from the Kadiwa ng Pangulo expansion. (PNA)