Amid skyrocketing prices of basic commodities, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has assured the public that the local government will continue to find ways to offer cheap but quality food and nonfood items.
She made the commitment following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s visit to the Kadiwa ng Pasko at the Quezon City hall grounds.
Mr. Marcos tagged the local government as the model city for the national government’s programs, citing its best practices and swift response to the recent price hike on basic commodities.
“We have to thank siyempre ang ating mga LGU dahil sila talaga ang nagtake ng initiative nito and again to Mayor Joy Belmonte who was one of the first to put up Kadiwa, mabilis siyang nagrespond agad nung nagtataasan na ang presyo,” the President said during his meeting with
Belmonte.
Quezon City hall is one of at least 20 sites nationwide taking part in the flagship project of the Marcos administration, aimed at providing a market to the country’s local agriculture producers and giving the public access to affordable and quality products.
Mr. Marcos further said this is why Quezon City is the “model” because “you do it on a different scale than the others. Kaya kung kakayanin nung sistema ninyo, eh kakayanin ‘yun ng mas maliliit [LGUs]. Kaya we were looking and seeing ano ‘yung mga tinatawag ko na best practices ay tinitingnan namin para mas maging maganda,” Mr. Marcos said.
Belmonte expressed her gratitude for having the city as part of the national government’s program.
“We are truly glad that Quezon City has been chosen as part of the Kadiwa program of our beloved President and the Department of Agriculture. We will continue to regularly provide avenues for food producers to sell their goods directly to our QCitizens,” she said.
According to the President, the Kadiwa ng Pasko program will continue to be available next year.
In partnership with QC Small Business and Cooperatives Development Promotions Office, the program hosts about 40 to 60 stalls consisting of of vendors from the DTI Diskwento Caravan and QC Fresh Market.