Pampanga First District Representative Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. has filed House Resolution No. 278 on September 11, 2025, urging the Department of Agriculture (DA) to establish KADIWA “Benteng Bigas Meron Na” Rolling Stores in the First District.
Officially launched in Batangas last July 10, the KADIWA Rolling Store is part of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s food security program that provides rice at P20 per kilo. The initiative has since expanded to other provinces, with 162 locations nationwide, but Lazatin noted that Pampanga still lacks sufficient outlets that can cater regularly to vulnerable sectors.
In his letter to DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., Lazatin expressed his office’s readiness to provide any assistance needed for the program’s implementation. “The KADIWA program is significant in addressing food security, especially for marginalized communities, and it will greatly benefit our residents in the First District if we could have rolling stores established here,” he said.
Food security has long been a priority for Lazatin. As former Angeles City Mayor, he spearheaded the nationally acclaimed “Walang Plastikan Plastic Palit Bigas” Program, which allowed residents to exchange plastic waste for rice. With a combined budget of nearly P280 million from 2022 to 2024, the program distributed a total of 2,925,631 kilos of rice to Angeleños. It also benefitted 87% of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) families in the city and was recognized as one of 17 National Finalists in the 2024 Walang Gutom Awards by the Department of Social Welfare and Development and Galing Pook Foundation.
During his presentation for the awards, Lazatin underscored how the program contributed to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Zero Hunger and Responsible Consumption and Production. “Walang magugutom. Walang kalam ang tiyan. No one goes to bed hungry,” Lazatin stressed.
(File photo shows Lazatin during the final presentation of the Walang Plastikan Program in the Walang Gutom Awards 2024.)
