By PIA-Bohol | 10:11 PM March 15, 2025
The 17th town to adopt the opening of fresh, affordable and practical food markets accessible to the community and allowing farmers to get the most decent income out of their products.
Residents from all 16 barangays of Anda, Bohol brought down to the beachside town plaza their produce for their first Kadiwa ng Pangulo: a presidential priority program intended to support the agricultural sector, bring down prices of basic commodities by eliminating middlemen, and enhance income potential of farmers.
Kadiwa, is from Katuwang sa diwa at gawa para sa masaganang ani at mataas na kita, explains Department of Interior and Local Government representative Jed Ighot, stressing that the presidential flagship program ensures food security, provides nutritious food and highlights the role of farmers and fisherfolk in driving local economies.
On the other hand, Capitol, through the Bohol Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office, through a representative underlines the critical role of the Kadiwa as a venue for start-ups and micro, small and medium enterprises in presenting new exciting products to the markets.
Opening late in the harvest season, the Kadiwa ng Pangulo sa Anda, timed for the town kick-off celebration of the Women’s Month and the opening of the town’s 150th Foundation Anniversary, went on without the trademark cheap rice, which drew huge crows during events like this.
Provincial Agriculture and Fisheries Coordinator Roman Dabalos, who represented Department of Agriculture Regional Executive Director Angel Enriquez, said by this time, National Irrigation Administration (NIA) rice stocks have been depleted and would need to restock after the harvest.
Owing to its sauntering cliffs and marshy flat lands, Anda is not much of a rice producing town, but the DA has been giving farming inputs in seeds, fertilizers, cash assistance and mechanization, helped the town corn production program, as well as high value commercial crops and organic agriculture, Dabalos added.
Although the town folks, from as far as Buenasuerte, Lundag and Tanod came with their usual vegetable produce for the three day agri fair and KADIWA, Dabalos said the government is more keen on its Special Area for Agricultural Development in Tanod and Buenasuerte.
Kadiwa ng Pangulo came as an active response to the high prices of commodities, caused by undue operation of middlemen who, most of the times, are earning more than the farmers.
Steered by 5 major government agencies like the Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Social Welfare and Development and Department of Labor and Employment, the agri trade event and market linkage facilitation program also feature locally made crafts produced by micro, small and medium enterprises.
Through the Kadiwa, farmer producers themselves who are suppliers meet with buyers, thus shortening the trading cycle.
The lesser the middlemen, the top-off price of the product is eliminated that the consumers benefit not just from freshly harvested crops and other food items, the cost is always fair, motivating farmers to be agri-preneurs.
Anda Mayor Angelina Simacio, on the other hand, who is now steering a town which has barged into Bohol’s top five tourism destinations because of its pristine beaches and rural ambiance, urged her people to produce more and not let the opportunity to supply food for the resorts pass.
She also hopes she can sustain the conduct of more of Kadiwa events in the future. (PIABohol)
