With another Marcos presidency looming, the Filipinos may be seeing the revival of Nutribun in public schools and Kadiwa stores in different parts of the country anytime soon.
Nutribun became popular in the early 70s to early 80s when it was distributed in schools supposedly to combat malnutrition among poor kids.
The Kadiwa program, a brainchild of former First Lady Imelda Marcos, was implemented by President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. with the aim of bringing down the prices of agricultural commodities.
According to a PNA report, Senator Imee Marcos has vowed to revive these two programs often associated with his father’s regime.
During a cash distribution to residents in crisis situation in Laoag City on Tuesday, the senator said Nutribun and Kadiwa will be a big help to Filipinos amid the rising cost of fuel and the looming global food crisis.
“The price of gas and basic commodities keep on increasing. We need more ayuda (assistance like Nutribun and Kadiwa stores) that directly benefits the people,” the government news agency quoted Imee Marcos as saying.
In February, President-elect Ferdinand ‘Bongbong Marcos Jr. already siginified his intention to bring back the Kadiwa rolling stores in every barangay as it supposedly ‘help consumers buy basic necessities like food products at lower prices compared to those being sold in regular markets’.
“The Kadiwa system enabled the public to buy goods at cheaper rates and the farmers to sell their crops without having to worry about transportation costs,” Marcos Jr. said.
Nutribun also became a trending topic on social media after a netizen claimed it was an initiative of the late President Marcos Sr.
Senator Imee even distributed packs of Nutribun carrying her name to residents of some barangays in Davao and Cebu early this month as appreciation for voting for her brother during the last election.
But according to Vera Files, Nutribun is a bread developed and distributed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
It was introduced to the Philippines in 1970 to help combat child malnutrition and serve as emergency food during disasters but ‘Marcos had no involvement in the development of the bread product or conceptualizing the program.’