A total of 144,836 farmers from the Cordillera and other provinces in Northern Luzon are set to receive additional assistance as the Department of Agriculture rolled out the release of more government aid.
“The government has not neglected the farmers and fisherfolk even if we have problems on Covid-19,” DA Sec. William Dar said during the initial distribution of assistance to the farmers from Benguet.
A total of P1.349 billion will be released before the year ends to 144,836 farmers in the Cordillera and Northern Luzon.
Dar, together with the DA-Cordillera and local government officials in Baguio and Benguet, led the initial release of P5,000 one-time government assistance to 65,836 rice farmers who are tilling less than two hectares of land.
The region was allotted P329,180,000 from the P7.6B excess tariff on rice for 2019 and 2020, which is a result of the Rice Tariffication Law passed in 2017.
Dar said 35,000 farmers in the Cordillera will also receive assistance from the P650M set aside under the Survival and Recovery Aid Program of the DA where farmer-beneficiaries can avail of P20,000 zero interest, non-collateral loan payable in 10 years.
This is implemented by the Agricultural Credit and Policy Council.
Dar added P370M has also been set aside by the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation to indemnify around 44,000 registered farmers from the region and Northern Luzon who suffered agricultural damage during the height of Typhoon Maring.
He said President Rodrigo Duterte also approved on Oct. 27 the release of P461M for the African swine fever indemnification program for raisers whose hogs were affected by the disease. – PNA
