Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 7) — San Miguel Corp. (SMC) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) have opened more direct marketing stores “Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita” in Metro Manila to boost agricultural industry amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
These stores are located at Petron gas stations across Metro Manila. The listed company said on Sunday that this partnership also aims to provide more consumers easier access to fruits and vegetables directly sourced from farmers.
SMC President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon Ang said that this has already benefitted a lot of farmers suffering due to the imposed community quarantine in the country to prevent the spread of the virus.
“Farmers are the backbone of our food supply chain and are essential to our food security, that is why from the very start, we tried to think of programs to help them even more,” Ang said.
The new stores are located in Petron gas station at Bel-Aire Gil Puyat Cor. Makati Ave; EDSA – Sierra Madre; Dasmarinas, EDSA; Katipunan Ave. (La Vista), QC; Shaw Blvd corner Wack Wack; C5-Diego Silang, Taguig; EDSA corner Main Ave. Cubao; 188 E. Rodriguez Jr. QC; Marcos Highway, Pasig; Connecticut, San Juan; Ninoy Aquino Ave. Sucat, Paranaque; Doña Soledad Ave. Better Living, Paranaque; and Dr. A Santos Ave., Sucat Rd., Paranaque.
An online platform was also launched, where consumers can put up their orders to be picked up at a nearby station.
Aside from this, SMC said it has also purchased 69 million kilos of corn from local farmers. It has also purchased 92,000 kilos of corn from cooperatives in Central Luzon and Pangasinan and 50,000 kilos of corn from Camarines Sur. Meanwhile, Maymatan Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Camarines Sur will provide a total of 100,000 kilos of corn from May 26 to June 15.
SMC has also committed to buy excess supply of carabao’s milk that will be donated to marginalized communities and feeding centers in Bulacan, Navotas, and other areas in Metro Manila.
