Iloilo City: Administration-backed senatorial candidate Panfilo Lacson is advocating for legislation to institutionalize the Kadiwa ng Pangulo program, a key initiative of the Marcos administration aimed at addressing inflation by streamlining the agricultural supply chain.

According to Philippines News Agency, Lacson highlighted during a press conference of the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas that the program allows farmers and food producers to sell directly to consumers, removing multiple middlemen and resulting in significant price reductions. Lacson emphasized the importance of studying how to formalize the Kadiwa stores through legislative measures to effectively manage and control inflation.

The Kadiwa program, which supports President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s goals of food security and affordability, offers consumers access to agricultural products such as rice, vegetables, fish, eggs, and meat at reduced prices. Lacson's proposal seeks to make this program a permanent fixture to stabilize prices and alleviate inflationary pressures.

Furthermore, Lacson underscored the crucial role of local government units in enhancing the program's effectiveness by eliminating numerous middlemen through direct transactions. Former Senate president Vicente Sotto III also endorsed Lacson's proposal, connecting it with his own initiative that suggests the government purchase half of the nation's total agricultural output to support farmers and stabilize food prices.

The Department of Agriculture has previously announced a price reduction in Rice for All options under the Kadiwa ng Pangulo program, with prices expected to decrease by PHP2 to PHP3 per kilogram starting February 12.