By Brian Jules Campued
Residents in Ligao City, Albay, recently got access to P20 per kilogram (kg) of rice sold at some participating stalls under the “Kadiwa ng Pangulo” (KNP) program in the Bicol Region.
In a statement on Sunday evening, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said the P20/kg rice was sold during the launch of the KNP at NIA’s Albay-Catanduanes Irrigation Management Office (ACIMO) on April 25.
Kadiwa stores offered rice products sold at P20/kg for members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), senior citizens, and persons with disabilities, according to the NIA.
Regular customers, on the other hand, were able to buy rice at P35/kg.
Aside from rice, the NIA said that different fruits, vegetables, various delicacies such as rice cakes, and other farm products were also sold at affordable prices.
“It serves as a way for Irrigators Associations (IAs) to return the blessings they received from the government to less privileged people for their community,” the NIA said.
Meanwhile, ACIMO IA Federation president Melanio Beñares said the bountiful harvest “is a testament to the government’s convergence, showcasing effective collaborative initiatives” amid the challenges posed by the El Niño phenomenon.
According to the NIA, the project was made possible through the efforts of Regional Manager Engr. Gaudencio De Vera, ACIMO Manager, Engr. Jessie Baynas, and Beñares.
The NIA, likewise, reiterated its commitment to increasing rice production and attaining food sufficiency in support of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s “Bagong Pilipinas” campaign. – av
