FUEL SUBSIDY. Qualified corn farmers in Nueva Ecija show the fuel discount cards they received from the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Central Luzon on Wednesday (July 13, 2022). The DA has released some PHP121 million worth of fuel subsidies for 404 qualified corn farmers in Nueva Ecija. (Photo courtesy of DA Region 3)
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The Department of Agriculture-Central Luzon (DA-3) has distributed some PHP121 million worth of fuel subsidies to corn farmers in Nueva Ecija as part of its continuing effort to help ease the impact of the rising oil prices in the agricultural sector.
DA Corn Banner Program Coordinator Adela Peñalba said on Friday that each of the 404 qualified corn farmers in Nueva Ecija received PHP3,000 worth of fuel discount card last Wednesday (July 13).
“The agency aims to lessen the repercussions in the corn industry caused by the oil price hike worldwide,” she said in a local news report.
Nueva Ecija Provincial Agriculturist Bernardo Valdez thanked the DA for continuously supporting the farmers.
He said the fuel discount will lessen the farmers’ expenses in corn production from land preparation to postharvest and processing activities.
Beneficiaries can use the discount card to purchase either gasoline or diesel from the partner/accredited gasoline stations such as Petron, Shell, PTT, Jetti, Total, and Unioil.
The DA targets to give fuel subsidy to some 2,550 corn farmers in the entire Central Luzon.
To qualify for the fuel subsidy, corn farmers must be registered in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture, included in the Farmers and Fisherfolk Registry System, and own machinery with proof of ownership.
The fuel subsidy program was launched in the region on March 21, this year.
Aside from corn farmers, qualified fisherfolk are also entitled to fuel discounts.
Rice farmers, meanwhile, are not included in the program as they are already receiving PHP5,000 under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund - Rice Farmers Financial Assistance. (PNA)
