VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur (PIA) — Some 361 farmers in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur received P5,000 each in financial aid on Wednesday at their municipal gymnasium.
According to the Narvacan Municipal Agriculture Office, more than 5,000 farmers were granted the same in April.
This is through the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) program under the Rice Tariffication Law of the Department of Agriculture (DA), explained Jomar Dayap, agricultural programs coordinating officer of the DA in the province.
The RFFA is an unconditional financial assistance to farmers funded by excess tariff collection from rice imports in 2022 that totals P12 billion.
As an unconditional cash grant, beneficiaries can use the amount for daily subsistence and personal needs.
“The DA is helping the farmers who were affected by the low price of rice due to the high importation, which has caused the decline in rice prices and has affected our rice farmers,” said Dayap.
He said the DA initiated the program to help mitigate its impact on farmers.
“This is just another batch, an addition, to the farmers that were unfortunately not included in the earlier distributions,” explained Sangguniang Bayan Member Jovenn Ampo Jr., chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture.
He added, “Over the next few days, we will be distributing the equipment and farm inputs to farmers. We continue to do this year after year so our farmers are supported, especially at this time when the harvest season is coming.”
David Daluddung, farmer and leader of the Narvacan farmers’ association, also thanked the DA and the local government unit for their support.
“Aside from financial assistance, we were told that they will distribute farm inputs and machinery next week, so we are hoping that, just like in previous years, they will continue to give priority to farmers,” said Daluddung.
Apart from Narvacan, the DA started distributing financial aid to the town of Santo Domingo on June 18 and Candon City on June 25.
According to the DA report, more than 3,000 farmers have received the said aid in other parts of the province, excluding Narvacan town. (AMB/ATV, PIA Ilocos Sur)
