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3.8K farmers in Pampanga get gov't cash aid

By Zorayda Tecson

November 11, 2022, 7:11 pm

<p><strong>CASH AID</strong>. The Department of Agriculture 3 (Central Luzon), in collaboration with the provincial government of Pampanga, distributes cash assistance to qualified farmer-beneficiaries in the province, at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center on Friday (Nov. 11, 2022). A total of 3,805 farmers from the different municipalities of the province received PHP5,000 each during the distribution. <em>(Photo courtesy of the provincial government of Pampanga)</em></p>

CASH AID. The Department of Agriculture 3 (Central Luzon), in collaboration with the provincial government of Pampanga, distributes cash assistance to qualified farmer-beneficiaries in the province, at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center on Friday (Nov. 11, 2022). A total of 3,805 farmers from the different municipalities of the province received PHP5,000 each during the distribution. (Photo courtesy of the provincial government of Pampanga)

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Another batch of farmers in this province received on Friday cash assistance from the government through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund - Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RCEF-RFFA) program.

A total of 3,805 farmers from the different municipalities of the province received PHP5,000 each during a distribution activity held at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center.

Under the special provisions of the RCEF, the RFFA program provides unconditional cash assistance amounting to PHP5,000 to each rice farmer who is registered under the Registry Systems for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) and tills two hectares of land or less.

The fund comes from the rice tariffs collected annually in excess of the PHP10 billion allocated for the RCEF.

Crispulo Bautista, director of the Department of Agriculture (DA) 3 (Central Luzon), said the RFFA aims to provide monetary assistance as compensation for the projected reduction or loss of farm income arising from the tariffication of the quantitative import restrictions on rice.

“The release of cash assistance also provides relief to rice farmers given the recent natural calamities and will also aid them in securing farm inputs, such as fertilizer,” Bautista said in an interview.

He said aside from cash assistance, the DA-3 is continuously providing various interventions to the palay farmers, such as hybrid seeds, certified palay seeds, fertilizer discount vouchers, and technical assistance.

Governor Dennis Pineda said he is thankful to the national government for giving an opportunity to support one of the pillars of the province’s economy which is agriculture.

He likewise reminded the farmer-beneficiaries to use the cash aid on agricultural inputs.

Mark Rivera, one of the farmer-beneficiaries, thanked the government for the assistance.

“Maraming salamat po sa ayuda na ibinigay ninyo sa amin. Makakasigurado po kayo na ibibili po namin ito ng pataba para sa palay (Thank you very much for the assistance provided to us. Rest assured that we will use it to purchase fertilizers for palay),” Rivera said in a social media post. (PNA)

 

 

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