BAGUIO CITY – Different regional line agencies in the Cordillera converged during the Regional Kapihan in celebration of Consumer Welfare Month (CWM) on October 4, 2023 in Baguio City.
The CWM is spearheaded by the Department of Trade and Industry–Cordillera Administrative Region (DTI-CAR). Accordingly, this year’s theme, “GenS: Generation Sustainable” is a campaign to widen the understanding and appreciation of sustainable consumption. The CWM is celebrated in October every year pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 1098 of 1997 which aims to promote the dissemination of sound consumer information by both the public and private sectors, including the media, on subjects such as complaints and policies affecting consumers and encourage dialogue and cooperation among consumers, business and government and broaden the scope of consumer education by heightening consumer awareness.
DTI-CAR Regional Director Juliet P. Lucas said that the theme means people are going back to basics: being sustainable or living sustainably. She added that the CWM is universal as everyone is a consumer, stating that “Consumerism is not only for this month, but every day of our lives. However, we are putting up this celebration to heighten awareness and consciousness of everybody in responsible and righteous consumption”. She also shared that the region has 100% consumer awareness and hopes that it remains this way.
The panelists addressed issues and concerns regarding consumer welfare concerning their agencies. Department of Agriculture-Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division Senior Agriculturist Jocelyn Beray mentioned the continuous price monitoring of high value crops, livestock, poultry, meat by-products, rice, and corn. She stated that as a result of the recent price monitoring on rice, they have seen a gradual decrease of 2-5 pesos/kg on premium and special rice.
Further, she brought up the ongoing interagency activity of the Cordillera offices of the Department of Agriculture, DTI, Department of Interior and Local Government and the DA-National Meat Inspection Services on monitoring of weights and measures in all public markets. Accordingly, during their last monitoring, they advised a recalibration of digital weighing scales as there are different variants of such.
Beray also specified the Kadiwa program, which aims to bring fresh, safe, and quality produce directly from the farmers to the consumers at an affordable price. She specifically cited the Kadiwa ng Pangulo program, where all government agencies and local government units (LGUs) must conduct Kadiwa activity at least once a month. The DA, meanwhile, will provide support by linking them to farmer cooperatives and associations to supply their Kadiwa activity.
Further, Beray shared the activities to be conducted during the Food Safety Awareness Week for the last week of October, specifically on consultation and monitoring of the implementation of food safety awareness of products, in coordination with the LGUs. As part of the consultation, linkages on food safety awareness to different registrations, certifications, and licensing for agricultural development such as good agricultural practices (GAP), good animal husbandry practice, and Organic Agriculture (OA) practice and halal, among others will be presented to stakeholders. As part of consumer awareness, seminars on food safety specifically on good manufacturing practice are also conducted, in partnership with the Food and Drug Administration.
In her parting ways, Beray encouraged everyone to patronize food safety, starting from buying safe food, to practicing food safety until the table. With this, she likewise encourages patronizing the KADIWA as this is also a way to support farmers. By CEWaytan
