DSWD allots P4.6B in assistance to farmers affected by El Niño

Assistance worth a total of P4.6 billion will be given to poor farmers affected by the El Niño phenomenon, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Monday.

Rice subsidies and cash-for-work assistance will be provided for a period of four months to enable the farmers to cope with and recover from the agricultural loss caused by insufficient rain.

Each beneficiary family will be entitled to a sack of rice every month while those who will engage in the cash-for-work program will receive 75 percent of the minimum daily regional wage rate in their area for 40 days or 10 working days per month.

Aside from this budget, the DSWD assured that the agency still has enough standby resources worth P2.2 billion to provide assistance to affected farmers.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) pegged the agricultural damage caused by El Niño to almost P8 billion as of late April.

According to the latest El Niño advisory issued by PAGASA earlier this month, the prevailing El Niño may last until August. — Dona Magsino/BM, GMA News