President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered the establishment of more Kadiwa ng Pangulo centers across the country, even as he urged local government units (LGUs) to buy palay directly from farmers.

In a social media post on Tuesday evening, Marcos said his directives were in line with his government’s thrust to support Filipino farmers and keep rice prices within reach for every Filipino family.

“The DA (Department of Agriculture) and DBM (Department of Budget and Management) have been directed to expand the P29 Rice-for-All program and increase our Kadiwa ng Pangulo centers from 21 to 300 by mid-2025,” Marcos said.

The move, according to Marcos, will bring affordable rice within reach for more communities across the country.

“I’m also calling on our LGUs to buy palay directly from our farmers. This way, our farmers receive fair prices for their hard work, and we can secure a steady supply of rice for everyone,” he added.

Meanwhile, the President also tasked the Department of Finance and the National Economic Development Authority to address rising input costs and climate impacts that affect food prices.

“This is a united effort to support our farmers and keep rice prices within reach for every Filipino family,” the Chief Executive said.

Marcos issued the directives after the Philippine Statistics Authority announced that headline inflation in October was at 2.3 percent, slightly higher than the 1.9 percent recorded in September this year.

Despite the slight uptick, the October inflation is still within the government’s 2 to 4 percent. (PNA)