The Department of Agriculture in Central Luzon (DA-3) is continuously providing cash assistance to farmers in this province under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund-Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RCEF-RFFA).

A total of 1,870 rice farmers were given the cash aid at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention here on Wednesday.

Under the special provisions of the RCEF, the RFFA program provides rice farmers who are registered under the Registry Systems for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA), and tilling two hectares and below of land, unconditional cash assistance of PHP5,000.

The program sources its funds from the rice tariffs collected annually in excess of the PHP10 billion allocated for the RCEF.

DA-3 Regional Director Crispulo Bautista said the assistance is meant to benefit rice farmers who have been affected by the implementation of Republic Act 11203, otherwise known as the Rice Tariffication Law, which led to a drop in the price of palay.

Vice Governor Lilia Pineda, for her part, thanked the DA for the cash assistance that the farmers can use to buy fertilizers and other farm inputs.

“Maraming salamat sa DA para sa tuluy-tuloy na suporta at pagtugon sa mga pangangailangang pang-agrikultura ng mga magsasaka sa lalawigan (Thank you very much to the DA for the continuous support and response to the agricultural needs of the farmers in the province),” Pineda said in a social media post.

Ricardo Martinez, one of the farmer-beneficiaries, said the government’s assistance is timely and is a big help to them.

“Malaking tulong na sa amin ito. Gagamitin namin ‘to upang makabili ng fertilizer (This is a big help for us. We will use this cash aid to buy fertilizer),” Martinez said.

Aside from the financial assistance, the farmer-beneficiaries also availed free medical consultation under the provincial government’s Alagang Nanay Preventive Healthcare Program.

The provincial government likewise provided them with food packs. (PNA)