The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday said Kadiwa sites will be accessible in the Visayas and Mindanao by the first two weeks of September.

“Iyong Kadiwa, target ay by September, we’ll be opening already iyong mga Kadiwa stores natin (The target is we’ll be opening the Kadiwa sites by September) in the Visayas and Mindanao. So, we’re targeting Cebu, Maguindanao, and Sulu,” DA Assistant Secretary Arnel De Mesa said in an interview.

De Mesa said the expansion aims to provide more affordable rice, vegetables, and other agricultural commodities to VisMin residents.

“Ang pakay niyan, una, halimbawa ito iyong (The intention of that is, for example, the) PHP29 for the vulnerable sector, whether you are in the rural or urban areas. Iyong Rice-for-All naman, para iyon sa lahat (The Rice-for-All is for everyone),” he said.

The P29 program refers to the sale of aging but good quality rice stocks from the National Food Authority (NFA) worth PHP29 per kilogram for the vulnerable sector, including members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), persons with disabilities (PWD), senior citizens, and solo parents.

On the other hand, the Rice-for-All program sells commercial imported and local well-milled rice at PHP45/kg.

Like other existing sites, De Mesa said the new Kadiwa sites will be opened every Thursday to Saturday.

Earlier, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the DA plans to put up at least 60 Kadiwa sites nationwide starting September.

Overall, around 1,500 municipalities are eyed for Kadiwa operations under the term of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (PNA)