A member of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) policy-making Monetary Board (MB) on Tuesday emphasized the importance of the Department of Agriculture’s Kadiwa program in addressing food insecurity suffered by depressed communities and groups.

MB member Bruce Tolentino said the rollout of the government’s Kadiwa stores in the country is a “welcome” effort, especially at a time when inflation remains uncertain.

He explained that the Kadiwa program plays an important role in the lives of Filipinos in need, especially those adversely affected by increasing price of food and basic commodities.

“I would like to clarify that the Kadiwa program is in fact an important measure as it quickly responds to the food insecurity suffered by depressed communities and groups and is also a useful measure to introduce high nutrient foods to malnourished populations,” Tolentino said in a statement.

“And if it is expanded, hopefully the (Marcos) administration will find a way to achieve its vision of giving Filipino farmers, fisherfolk and MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprise) an opportunity to generate more income through direct farm-to-consumer trade through the program,” Tolentino said.

Tolentino made the clarification after he was quoted in news reports raising concerns over the unsustainability of the program in the long-run.

Tolentino said if the program is expanded, the government should find a way to “achieve its vision” of giving Filipino farmers, fisherfolk, as well as micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) an opportunity to generate more income through direct farm-to-consumer trade through the program.

The Kadiwa is a farm-to-consumer market chain program of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. that eliminates intermediaries, allowing local producers to sell directly to consumers at affordable prices.

There are already more than 300 Kadiwa stores nationwide. (PNA)