A Turned Over & Acceptance Ceremony on Kadiwa Financial Grant Assistance Program in Zamboanga del Norte was conducted on July 30, 2024 at the Zamboanga del Norte Convention and Exhibition Center attended farmers, Board of Director and Members of Cooperatives and Farm Associations.
The Zamboanga del Norte Provincial Governor Rosalina “Nanay Nene” G. Jalosjos through the Provincial Administrator Wilberth “Gaw Jojo” G. Magallanes expressed a gesture of gratitude for the full support during the ceremony of the locally – funded programs to the province from the Office of Senator Imee R. Marcos which is a total of P6.0M worth of projects turned – over to four (4) farmers cooperatives and associations and one (1) municipal Local Government Unit (LGU).
Magallanes stresses that he is overwhelmed of the collaboration of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAG) through the dynamic Ms. Maybel C. Bustaliño and Department of Agriculture, through the Agribusiness & Marketing Assistance Division led by Ms Anne Lisbo who attended the ceremony. “The Governor is a staunch supporter of agriculture sector that in fact it is on her top priority to develop and improve the agriculture sector of this province”, he stressed. Magallanes further explained that the Provincial Government is looking at the farmland owners and farmers to recover especially those affected during the recent typhoon in the 3rd district of the province.
The ceremonial activity was more engaging with the farmers and guests as Engr. Jaydrick Johnson A. Yap, President, PhilExport ZamPen and representative of Senator Imee Marcos read the message in behalf of the Senator. He relayed the history of the Kadiwa Program that the former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, father of Senator Imee who started it during the1970s which then called NFA-FTI-KADIWA system. He continued that it was a national food security program that was set as an assurance of enough production in the country. The NFA will buy the products direct from the farmers and the distribution via FTI then offered and sold it in cheap prices at the KADIWA rolling stores. Yap added, that the KADIWA stores were coming back in limited numbers as of this time, thus, the KADIWA is an inspiration behind the KADIWA Financial Grant Assistance Program which was started during the pandemic time to support the cooperatives and associations for the farmers and fisher folks ( FCA’s) , LGU’s, State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and Community – based organizations (CBO’s).
Regional Training Director for Operations of the Department of Agriculture IX (DA-IX), Ms. Maria Melba B. Wee detailed the KADIWA Financial Grant Assistance Program in Zamboanga Peninsula that had been a timely interventions, facilitating support for marketing & logistics for farmers / fisher folks cooperatives & associations (FCA’s), local government units (LGU’s) and state colleges and universities (SUC’s). Looking ahead to FY 2024 implementation, Region 9 has been allocated P17.50 million for the KADIWA Financial Grant Assistance Program. Within in this allocation, Zamboanga del Norte is set to receive P7 million, this is 40% of the current year’s allocation for the Provincial Government of Zamboanga del Norte Mango Producers Association.
As for the promotion from the DA – AMAS (Agribusiness and Marketing Assistances Services), Engr. Anne F. Lisbo, Chief Agriculturist presented a comprehensive review of the types of assistance from the KADIWA Financial Grant are the machines and equipment, vehicles to transport the products of agriculture and fisheries. Build up rehabilitation for the storage facility and processing, working capital, upscaling of enterprises and progress of KADIWA Stores.
Engr. Lisbo mentioned the recipients for the turned over and acceptance of Kadiwa Financial Grant Assistance Program namely: (1) Bayside MPC , Municipality of Leon Postigo , Zamboanga del Norte worth P1,500,000.00 for the procurement of hauling vehicle, (2) Piñan MPC Municipality of Piñan, Zamboanga del Norte worth P1,500,000.00 for trading capital and procurement of processing equipment for tablea, (3) Polanco Official , Employees & Community MPC Municipality of Polanco,Zamboanga del Norte worth P500,000.00 for trading capital & procurement of post – harvest equipment; (4) Sindangan FACOMA Community MPC Municipality of Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte worth P500, 000.00 for trading capital; and (5) the KADIWA Store of the Municipality of Municipal Katipunan worth P2,000,000.00 for the procurement of Hauling Vehicle & Establishment of KADIWA Store with facilities.
The message of Board Member Franco Angelo “Conkee” C. Buctuan of the 3rd District ZDN was remarkable and inspirational as he relayed the story of his parents as farmers. “Without the farmers, we don’t have foods on our table”, he stresses as he further inspire farmers to look at their work as professions equivalent to a blue-collar job. He encouraged the Provincial Government to help sustain the needs of the farmers and at the same time express his gratitude to the DA office and most of all the KADIWA program of Senator Imee Marcos. (Angelica T. Obina)
(Source: Ginalin G. Ma – PIC)