Senator Marcos Meets YFC Awardees and KADIWA Beneficiaries

Senator Imee Marcos has committed to offering assistance to promote and address agricultural production concerns of the Young Farmers' Challenge (YFC) awardees and the Enhanced KADIWA Financial Grant beneficiaries during her dialogue with the YFC and Kadiwa beneficiaries for Baguio City and Benguet at the RDC Hall, Benguet State University on February 26, 2023. 

Senator Marcos was accompanied by Secretary for Consumer Affairs and Department of Agriculture (DA) Spokesperson Kristine Y. Evangelista and DA-CAR Regional Executive Director Cameron P. Odsey. 

In her message, Senator Marcos acknowledged 40 YFC awardees from Baguio city and Benguet as she recognized their achievements, commended showcased products, and assured to help the awardees in their agricultural production.  

In addition, Senator Marcos recognized the respective multipurpose cooperatives of Benguet, which are recipients of the DA’s KADIWA Program.

She also inquired about updates on food mobilization, funds, equipment, storage facilities, consolidations, and progresses to understand how they could remediate the growing operations of the concerns raised by the respective multipurpose cooperatives. To boost their marketing strategies and increase their income, Senator Marcos encouraged the multipurpose cooperatives and young farmers to consider the market before agricultural production.

Initiated by the office of Senator Marcos, the YFC is a competitive financial grant program by the Department of Agriculture (DA) for Filipino youth who will pursue agri-fishery enterprises. On the other hand, the Enhanced KADIWA Program is an initiative of DA that aims to aid small enterprises and farmers’ needs. According to DA, the program is a direct marketing scheme where agricultural products are directly linked with the consuming public, making available food commodities at reasonable prices to consumers through accessible Kadiwa retail stores in strategic locations. Kadiwa means “one idea, one thought.”

BSU President Felipe Salaing Comila, with Vice-President for Academic Affairs and University and Board Secretary Grace T. Bengwayan, joined Senator Marcos during the event. Present also were Benguet officials, including Governor Hon. Melchor Daguines Diclas, La Trinidad Mayor Hon. Romeo K. Salda, and Tublay Mayor Hon. Armando I. Lauro..//KAcosta (BAEL Intern)