Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian showed his full support for the Kadiwa ng Pangulo (KNP) program as he, together with other government officials, joined President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. during the nationwide roll-out of the project on Monday (July 17) at the Pampanga provincial capitol grounds.

In his message, President Marcos emphasized the importance of collaboration among government offices to respond to the needs of every Filipino citizen amid the high inflation and global economic instability.

“Hindi kayang gawin ng national government na maikalat lahat ng ating gustong ipadala na mga murang pagkain kung hindi ating kasama at ka-partner ang local government,” the President said.

(We, at the national government, cannot bring food and other goods at the lowest price closer to the people if we do not tap or partner with the local government.)

Applying the whole-of-nation approach, Secretary Gatchalian, together with the heads of other participating agencies, signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) expanding the KNP program in all local government units (LGUs) across the country.

Under the agreement, the establishment of Kadiwa centers nationwide was institutionalized while the participating government agencies committed to sustain the program.

Secretary Gatchalian, in his earlier statements, has expressed support for the Kadiwa centers, which according to him, directly help the beneficiaries of the Department.

During the Kadiwa center roll-out in Pampanga, beneficiaries of the DSWD’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) and  Regional Residential Care Facilities also put up stalls/booths to sell their goods, products, and delicacies directly to the consumers.

Some 42 sellers put up Kadiwa stalls to offer locally produced agri-fishery products and basic necessities.

A job fair was also held wherein 20 companies opened employment opportunities for walk-in applicants.

Apart from the agreement signing and setting up of Kadiwa booths, different national government agencies, including the DSWD, provided various government services and programs to beneficiaries.

For its part, the DSWD distributed family food packs (FFPs) and Php 3,000 worth of financial assistance under its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).

Some 493 beneficiaries, composed of solo parents, informal settlers, labor workers, and those from vulnerable sectors received the assistance.

Livelihood grants were also awarded by the DSWD to 13 SLP beneficiaries.

During the ceremonial signing, the Kadiwa centers were simultaneously rolled-out in 82 provinces and 16 highly urbanized cities nationwide.

Among the signatories were the DSWD, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Presidential Communications Office (PCO), and the Presidential Management Staff (PMS).

Present during the event were DTI Secretary Alfredo Pascual, DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., and DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma.

As one of the priority projects of the Marcos administration, the DSWD will continue to support Kadiwa centers to provide accessible and affordable food and other commodities for Filipinos to cushion and counter the effects of global inflation, while also helping local producers earn more through a direct farm-to-market consumer trade. #