SAN JOSE, Occidental Mindoro (PIA) — The Department of Agriculture (DA)-MIMAROPA recently distributed cash assistance to 7,120 farmers in Occidental Mindoro under the Rice Competitive Enhancement Fund-Rice Farmer Financial Assistance (RCEF-RFFA) Program.
Each beneficiary from the mainland province received Php 5,000.00 which aims to provide support to qualified rice farmers who are affected by the drop in palay farmgate prices brought about by the implementation of the Rice Tarification Law (RTL).
Farmers must be registered to Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) and are cultivating two (2) hectares of land or below to be qualified for the RFFA.
Rod Lopez, a Buhid-Mangyan farmer from San Jose, shared that the cash grant will help them cover their farming expenses as they are dependent on agriculture for their livelihood.
“Malaking tulong [ang ayuda] para may pambili ng abono. [Pagsasaka] kasi ang prayoridad namin sa ngayon kasi ‘yun ang hanapbuhay namin,” Lopez said.
According to Ulyssis Laredo, DA-MIMAROPA Rice Staff, the RFFA pay out schedule for the island municipalities of Looc and Lubang will be scheduled in the early weeks of March.
The activity was spearheaded by the DA Agricultural Program Coordinating Office Staff assisted by the Local Government Units.(DSG/PIA MIMAROPA)
