SAN JOSE, Occidental Mindoro (PIA) -- A total of 9,876 farmers in Occidental Mindoro recently received financial assistance under the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) Program of the Department of Agriculture.

Each beneficiary received P5,000, totaling P49,380,000 “to provide temporary relief to eligible farmers throughout the implementation years of the [Rice Tariffication Law]” as explained in the DA Memorandum Order No. 64, series of 2021.

Republic Act No. 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) was implemented in 2019 to ensure a sufficient supply of rice by importation.

Under the RTL, the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) was established, comprising P10 billion from tariff collection from importation. This will be allocated to boost farmers’ production by providing modern machinery and equipment, and other rice development projects.

Consequently, when tariff collection exceeds P10 billion, the excess fund is allotted to other projects, including the RFFA.

Ulysses Laredo of the DA Agricultural Program Coordinating Office (APCO) explained that all farmers cultivating two hectares of land below and registered to the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) are qualified for the grant.

Carlito Gutierrez, a farmer from the municipality of San Jose shared that the cash aid will help cut his production cost as he plans on allotting it for buying fertilizers.

“Ipapambili ko po ng abono ito para sa sibuyas ko. Kahit papaano, makakabawas din sa gastusin,” he said.

[I will use it to buy fertilizers for my onions. This will somehow cut my expenses.]

In addition to the payout, the DA Mimaropa, in partnership with the Universal Storefront Services Corporation (USSC), conducted data verification for the farmer’s Interventions Monitoring Card or IMC.

“ATM [card ito], na doubles as ID [ng beneficiary] para sa next na payout [ng cash assistance] sa bangko na [nila kukunin]. Mas madali na,” Laredo said.

[The IMC is an ATM card that doubles as the beneficiary’s ID so for the next payout, they can easily withdraw the cash assistance directly from the bank.]

The DA Mimaropa led the payout with the assistance of the USSC and the Municipal Agriculture Offices. (DSG/PIA MIMAROPA – Occidental Mindoro)