COVID-19 aid: 90,000 marginal farmers to get P5,000 each from DA

LEGAZPI CITY—Nearly 90,000 farmers tilling lands not more than a hectare in size are to receive P5,000 each from the Department of Agriculture (DA) to help them survive lockdowns imposed to fight COVID-19.

Emily Bordado, spokesperson of the DA in Bicol, said in an interview that the agency would spend at least P450 million to initially help farmers who till rice lands of not more than a hectare.

Receiving the first batch of cash assistance were 42,017 farmers from Camarines Sur, 21,353 in Albay, 13,459 in Masbate and 13,053 in Sorsogon.

Bordado said Camarines Norte and Catanduanes were not included in the package since these provinces were not major rice producing areas in Bicol.

The program, called Financial Subsidy for Rice Farmers (FSRF), is part of the DA’s initiative to provide aid to farmers in 24 provinces who are not covered by the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) program for those tilling one hectare upwards.

To qualify for the FSRF cash aid, the names of farmer should be on the master list of farmers enrolled in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA).

The list of qualified beneficiaries will be submitted to the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) and given cards loaded with cash. The LBP would distribute the cards.

Bordado said beneficiaries would receive the cash assistance after the Holy Week break.

Edited by TSB