ASSISTING FARMERS. The Department of Agriculture in Calabarzon distributes PHP7.2 million in financial assistance to 1,444 farmers in Quezon province on Jan. 18, 2024. Some of these beneficiaries received PHP5,000 each under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund-Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RCEF-RFFA) program. (Photo courtesy of DA Calabarzon)
LIPA CITY, Batangas – The Department of Agriculture in Calabarzon (DA 4-A) has stepped up its distribution of financial assistance to small farmers in Quezon province under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund-Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RCEF-RFFA) program.
In an interview on Monday, engineer Jana Baja, Regional Rice Program focal person, said that on Jan. 18 alone, the DA 4-A distributed PHP7.2 million in cash aid to 1,444 farmers in the towns of Lucban, Tayabas City, Pagbilao, Mauban, and Sampaloc.
The qualified beneficiaries were allocated PHP5,000 each through the enhanced “Interventions Monitoring Card”, she said.
“We salute the farmers of Calabarzon because without them, we would not have food for our family, community, and the whole country… We may still be far from what we hope to be rice sufficiency, but we hope that you will continue to support all the programs provided,” Baja told the Philippine News Agency.
He said a similar distribution caravan was also held in General Nakar on Jan. 25, where 1,132 qualified farmers benefitted from the program, but she did not disclose the total amount distributed to the beneficiaries there.
Basa said the farmer-beneficiaries are listed in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) and are cultivating not more than two hectares of rice fields in accordance with Republic Act (RA) 11203 or the “Rice Tariffication Law”.
“Financial aid will continue to be given to our farmers who will go to work from the endorsed qualified farmers and in the second week of February, there will be another Caravan distribution in POGI island, District 1 and approximately 1,000 farmers will be given financial aid again,” she added.
POGI refers to the Polillo Group of Islands that includes the towns of Polillo, Panukulan, Burdeos and Jomalig.
Basa shared that rice production in the province dropped by 17,086.96 metric tons last year, citing pest damage as one of the major reasons. However, more rice is expected to be planted in preparation for the summer season.
The insufficient submission of monthly reports on planting and harvesting of products from the towns of Calauag, Perez, Quezon and San Francisco is also a factor in the drop in production, she said.
Basa said the regular agricultural inputs given from the rice program such as fertilizer discount vouchers, free seeds, soil ameliorants, and Bio N fertilizers are also being distributed to struggling farmers aside from the financial assistance.
She underscored the accreditation of additional four farmer associations under the Farm and Fisheries Clustering and Consolidation (F2C2) program which has increased the yield of production of local land cultivators.
Meanwhile, Basa urged farmers to get in touch with their respective Municipal Agriculturist Offices (MAOs) to avail of free and high-quality seeds as well as new farming technologies. (PNA)
