The Department of Agriculture (DA) is setting up, starting today, Kadiwa ng Pangulo (KNP) kiosks in two stations of the Metro Rail Transit and Light Rail Transit 1 – where foot traffic is huge – to sell well-milled rice “with no limits” for P40 a kilo.
This widely-publicized story is meant to uplift the spirits of consumers, who are now plagued with rising oil and food prices despite the ongoing harvest, which though falling short of previous year's levels because of the combined impact of El Nino and the successive typhoons in November, would still be made available at subsidized rates as part of the government's Christmas offerings to the citizenry.
Subsidized rice is also being sold in select offices of the Department of Agriculture around the country.
“There will be rice kiosks in selected markets in the (National Capital Region) including two train stations,” said Assistant Secretary for Consumer and Legislative Affairs Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra in a briefing Wednesday, December 4.
She added that the initial markets where subsidized rice would be sold include Kamuning Market, Malabon Central Market, New Las Piñas City Public Market, Pasay City Public Market, and Guadalupe Public Market.
Kiosks will also be set up in the North Avenue station of Metro Rail Transit and the Monumento station of the Light Rail Transit.
These kiosks will offer Rice-for-All at an affordable price of P40 per kilo, available from Tuesdays to Saturdays, 8 to 5 p.m., Velicaria-Guevarra said.
She said that the kiosks will be affiliated with the KADIWA ng Pangulo program and supplied by the Food Terminal, Inc.
The DA also plans to put up Kadiwa kiosks at the Balintawak Market, Cartimar Market, Pateros Grace Marketplace, Maypajo Public Market, and Paco Market. “Rice for All” was first launched to sell cheap well-milled rice at KADIWA centers.
The government currently sells P29 rice to low-income individuals.
The DA is looking to expand its KADIWA network to 1,500 locations by 2028, it is expecting to open 179 KADIWA Centers by the end of the year.
Velicaria-Guevarra said that KADIWA centers will also sell well-milled rice at P40 per kilo starting December 5.
DA price monitors showed that a kilogram of well-milled rice in Metro Manila markets sold for between P42 and P52 as of December 3.
Disturbing about DA's announcement on the Kadiwa kiosks rice sale is that there is no limit to rice purchases and that retailers may resell them. (This provides retailers a chance to sell the subsidized rice to their consumers, thereby defeating the objective of the program). The rice will be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.daily.
The DA said they want to take advantage of foot traffic in these areas and to ensure there will be continuous supply in their kiosks.
The DA previously implemented its Rice for All program in select Kadiwa stores, which is why people clamored for its sale in public markets and accessible areas.
Guevarra said some retailers initially raised eyebrows as their cheaper supply may compete with other rice being sold in the market. But they eventually agreed as they will also benefit from it.
The DA assured that the rice that will be sold is well-milled and of good quality.
The DA said this strategy would bridge the disparity between the high retail prices of rice in the light of reduced tariffs,
Photo Courtesy: Philippine News Agency
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