Aggressively working to ensure food security, the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. established a substantial number of Kadiwa stores and outlets across the country, in addition to providing farmers with loans, reducing logistics costs and improving agricultural infrastructure.
In its year-end report, the administration said that as of November this year, it has generated P418 million in sales from the conduct of 19,383 Kadiwa selling activities, which served 1.22 million households and benefitted 450 farmer cooperatives and associations (FCAs) and agri-fishery enterprises nationwide.
Under the Kadiwa ng Pasko caravan, which the administration intends to continue beyond the holiday, more than P15 million were generated in sales as of Dec. 11, according to the report.
Aside from putting up Kadiwa outlets, the government operated Agri-Pinoy Trading Centers (APTCs), Diskuwento Caravans and has worked to stabilize sugar supply and prices.
Currently, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has been operating 15 APTCs nationwide, benefitting 219,201 farmers and fishermen.
Through the APTCs, the DA facilitated the trade of 214,758.21 metric tons (MT) of crops, 90,248 heads of livestock, and 1,789.94 MT of fishery products valued at P16.65 billion.
On the production side, the administration concentrated this year on distributing unused agricultural lands to Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) with the aim of increasing productivity. 52,000 hectares of unused lands have been identified for distribution.
19,199 Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs) were distributed to 11,938 ARBs since President Marcos assumed office up to December 10.
The government also distributed seeds, fertilizer, and fuel discount vouchers, farm inputs and materials, and provided farmers with irrigation facilities. The beneficiaries included 1.06 million rice farmers and 3,528 farmer cooperatives and associations (FCAs).
In terms of credit and financial assistance, the government extended P1.25 billion in loans to 10,586 small farmers and fishers (SFF) and 119 registered micro and small agri-fishery enterprises (MSEs)/ Farmer and Fisherfolk Organizations (FFOs) through the Kapital Access for Young Agripreneurs (KAYA) and Agri-Negosyo (ANYO) Loan programs.
This is in addition to the P482.52 million in loans to 35,222 SSFs and one MSE borrower under the Survival and Recovery (SURE) Loan Assistance Programs.
Some 179 sugarcane farmer-borrowers were also given P120.93 million in loans under the Sugar Industry Development Act (SIDA) Socialized Credit Program.
Moreover, P345 million worth of loans and P2.6 billion Farmers Financial Assistance were released to rice farmers through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Program.
And to lower transport costs for food and other basic goods, the Marcos government carried out the Unified Logistics Pass (ULP), which aims to facilitate the seamless movement of trucks transporting agricultural products and other basic goods.
The government also imposed a moratorium on collection of pass-through fees and constructed more rural infrastructure.
From July to November 2022, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) constructed 75 kilometers of farm-to-market roads (FMRs) and as of October 30, it was implementing 533 projects under the DPWH-DA convergence Agri-Infrastructure Support Program, completing 67 projects.
The government also outlined in its report its plans for next year to ensure stable food sources, prices, and supply.
To attain its goal, the administration said it will focus on increasing production using research and modern technologies, improving value chain efficiency and increasing farmers’ income to encourage more Filipinos to venture into agriculture, particularly the youth.
And to reduce transport and logistics costs, the government plans to formulate a 3-Year Development Plan to improve food logistics, strengthen the regulatory functions of the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), and continue its efforts to promote alternative modes of transportation.
