BORONGAN CITY (PIA) -- As part of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s agenda to make food accessible and affordable to all Filipinos, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Regional Office 8 launched KADIWA sa NIA at the NIA EastWest Samar Satellite Office on October 5, this city.
Some six (6) Irrigators Associations (IA) from Eastern Samar province participated in the official launching by showcasing a variety of fresh and affordable fruits and vegetables such as sitaw (P70/kilo), pechay (P20/tie), eggplant (P50.00/kilo), and okra (P15.00/tie), to mention a few.
On behalf of the farmer organizations, Eastern Samar Farm Irrigators Association (ESPFIA) President Odilon L. Desoloc expressed his appreciation to NIA for providing them an avenue to sell their produce and gain more income in the absence of middlemen.
“Ang ganda ng challenge, ang kwento ng programa, nagpapakita lamang ito na tapat at sinsero ang gobyerno sa pagtulong sa aming mga magsasaka,” Desoloc added.
Nanay Flor Ador who’s holding a basket full of vegetables that she bought from the KADIWA stalls, said in an interview that the program not only benefits the farmers but also the consumers like her who work hard to make both ends meet with the constant price surge of prime commodities in the country.
“Sigurado ka pa na presko ang mga gulay na mabibili mo,” she added, pointing at the vegetables in her basket.
Acting Regional Manager Jaime De Jesus of NIA Region 8, said that NIA prioritizes programs that will help farmers gain more income, such as the launching of KADIWA centers, in accordance with President Marcos’ directives.
“Simula ngayong buwan ng Oktubre ay may grupo na ng mga magsasakang iimbitahin ang NIA upang makapagbenta ng kanilang mga produkto na inaasahang makakapagbigay sa kanila ng mas mataas na kita dahil sa kawalan ng middleman,” De Jesus added.
Representatives from other government agencies expressed their support and assistance to the Irrigators Associations to sustain the initiative for sustainable farming, food security, and ensuring the availability and affordability of food in areas with high demand and in communities with low-income families.
Kadiwa sa NIA was also launched and will be launched in other provinces of Eastern Visayas, in support to the whole-of-nation approach for alleviating the lives of the Filipinos dubbed as "Para sa Bagong Pilipinas." (MMP/VTG/PIA E. Samar)
