GOV’T AID. A rice farmer receives her PHP5,000 cash assistance under the Department of Agriculture's Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund – Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RCEF-RFFA) during the distribution in Asuncion town in Davao del Norte on Wednesday (May 8, 2024). About 1,200 rice farmers received PHP5,000 each, while 41 corn farmers received PHP3,000 each for the Fuel Discount Program Caravan. (Photo from DA-11)
DAVAO CITY – At least 1,241 rice and corn farmers in the Davao del Norte town of Asuncion received cash assistance under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund – Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RCEF-RFFA) and fuel discount card (FDC) on Wednesday.
In a statement Thursday, Epifanio Loyola Jr., farmer regional executive director at the Department of Agriculture (DA) 11 (Davao Region), said 1,200 rice farmers received PHP5,000 each while 41 corn farmers received PHP3,000 each for the Fuel Discount Program Caravan.
During the event, he acknowledged the farmers' contribution to providing food for the country despite experiencing countless crises.
"We will ensure that the DA-11's projects and programs will definitely provide a positive impact on the lives of our farmers," Loyola said.
The RFFA seeks to maintain its assistance to rice farmers who cultivate two hectares or less and are affected by the notable drop in palay farm gate prices in time with the implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law.
Meanwhile, Leorence Nasol, the DA-11 alternate corn focal person, highlighted the department’s goal to enhance the farmers' productivity through the program and to help ease the effects of the oil price hike in the agriculture sector.
The DA’s Fuel Discount Program aims to provide fuel discounts to farmers and fisherfolk who own agricultural or fishery machinery, either individually or through organizations. It can be claimed through their fuel discount cards, which will be issued in partnership with the Development Bank of the Philippines and will be distributed by the regional field offices of the DA to eligible beneficiaries.
The recipients can present their FDCs to the contracted oil companies or gas stations and claim a maximum amount of PHP3,000 fuel discount. (PNA)
