A new initiative was integrated in Manang Imee’s Capitol Express last December 9 as the program continued to bring frontline services of the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte more accessible to the Ilocanos.
‘Kadiwa (rolling stores) ni Manang Imee’, the name aptly given to the new program “aims to sell basic goods and food items much lower than the prevailing market rates,” said Edwin Cariño, head of the Millennium Development Goals office in the province.
The launch rite was led by Governor Imee R. Marcos during the CapEx in Pagudpud where ‘Kadiwa ni Manang Imee’ sold grocery items, such as rice, noodles, sugar, sardines and coffee, as well as vegetables like squash, mango, papaya, among others.
“Kadiwa is an experiment project, I heard that existing market rates of grocery as well as food items here are high,” she said.
‘It does not mean to break the businesses of the sellers in the public market but to support the local farmers and less-fortunate Ilocanos,” she added.
The grocery items are sourced out directly from the manufacturers so it is guaranteed that prices will be lower compared to the market ones while the vegetables are supplied by Ilocano farmers who are being supported by the provincial government,” noted Cariño.
Known as the ‘Kadiwa Project’ during the administration of the late President Ferdinand Marcos, it was one of the noble projects of the former First Lady Imelda Marcos which sold basic goods and food items at lower prices to solve the rising prices of basic commodities.
Meanwhile, the provincial government distributed cash incentives during the CapEx on December 9 to those workers during the Oplan Pakni of the provincial government.
“The Oplan Pakni is a cash-for-work program of Governor Imee for the people who were hard-hit by typhoon Mario and living on high dengue risk barangays of Ilocos Norte,” said Eric Pascua, head of Provincial Investment Office.
Oplan Pakni has employed a total of 1,473 workers from the different municipalities of Ilocos Norte and they were tasked to help in the cleaning brigade during the aftermath of typhoon Mario.
“The Oplan Pakni aims to respond to the economic impact of the typhoon and to address sanitation issues due to debris and stagnant water,” Pascua added.
Manang Imee’s Capitol Express’ schedule includes Pagudpud (December 9), Badoc, Banna and Batac (December 10), San Nicolas, Dingras and Sarrat (December 11), Bacarra, Vintar, Tamdagan, Laoag City (December 12), Piddig (December 18) and Burgos (December 19). -–J Michael Mugas, PGIN-CMO
