The Department of Agriculture (DA) has partnered with the Philippine Postal Corp. for the expansion of Kadiwa ng Pangulo (KNP) sites in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to ensure food security and accessibility in the country.

Under their memorandum of understanding signed at the DA headquarters in Quezon City on Thursday, the DA and PHLPost will put up 61 KNP sites this year on top of the six pop-up stores that opened in 2024.

A total of 67 KNP pop-up stores will be operational in PHLPost offices in Metro Manila, the northwest part of Luzon, as well as in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Additional sites include offices in Manila, Quezon City, Pasay, Parañaque, Pampanga, La Union, and Sulu.

In a speech, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the pact would help both farmers and consumers through direct market linkage.

“At the heart of this collaboration is the DA’s key initiative, the Kadiwa ng Pangulo program para sa Masaganang Bagong Pilipinas. A program that’s not solely about distributing agricultural products, but also transforms the way we approach sustainability and empowerment of communities that need them the most,” he said.

“By utilizing PHLPost’s vast network, we are tapping a strong and efficient system to meet this objective.”

PHLPost postmaster general and CEO Luis Carlos, meanwhile, said the agreement is just an initial commitment to help support farmers.

“Kami po ay kaagapay ng mga magsasaka sa kanilang pag-asenso at kaagapay ng pamilyang Pilipino para maging malusog ang kanilang pamilya sa pamamagitan ng masustansya at sariwang pagkain (We stand side by side with farmers as they move forward and with Filipino families as they achieve good health through nutritious and fresh foods),” he said.

In terms of operations, the DA said they may opt for some fixed schedules like every 15th or 30th of the month or similar alternatives instead of a daily schedule.

To date, the PHLPost has about 1,100 offices nationwide, which Tiu Laurel described as an “opportunity” for further KNP expansion under the Marcos administration.

In 2024, initial KNP pop-up stores began to operate in Mariveles, Bataan; Tarlac; Olongapo City; San Fernando, Pampanga; and in Central Mail Exchange in Pasay City. (PNA)