GAS SUBSIDY. Farmers in Batac City, Ilocos Norte buy gasoline from the city government’s partner gasoline station on Friday (Jan. 12, 2024). A total of 6,212 registered farmers have been included in the gas coupon program of the city government to help sustain their crops amid the dry spell. (Photo courtesy of the City Government of Batac)
BATAC CITY – A total of 6,212 registered farmers in Batac City, Ilocos Norte will receive fuel subsidies to sustain their crops this dry season.
Batac City Mayor Albert D. Chua confirmed this on Friday following the launching of the fuel subsidy program for farmers listed in the Registry System for Basic Sector in Agriculture (RSBSA), a database for farmers, fisherfolk, and farm laborers that serves as a targeting mechanism for the identification of beneficiaries for different agriculture-related programs and services.
"Each farmer was validated based on the kind of crop they planted, fuel requirement per hectare, and land area to determine the amount of fuel to be subsidized,” Chua said, citing the importance of timely irrigation of crops.
The fuel subsidy is a priority program of the city government to cushion the impact of El Niño by ensuring the quality of agricultural produce, minimizing production costs, and maintaining high crop yield during the dry cropping season.
According to an advisory from the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (DOST-PAGASA), possible dry spells and drought brought by El Niño could peak in April.
It also said that as many as 63 provinces, including Ilocos Norte, may experience severe drought conditions.
Aside from the distribution of fuel subsidies with a minimum of four liters for each recipient, the city government also continues to provide various agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, micronutrients, and hybrid seeds to the farmers.
Farmers are, likewise, encouraged to plant early maturing crops and to conserve water by all means, particularly during the summer months of April and May. (PNA)
