More than 200K farmers received P5,000 cash aid, says DA

The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Tuesday said it had distributed P5,000 cash assistance each to more than 200,000 rice farmers affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) threat.

“Sa subsidy sa rice farmers ang naipamigay na po natin ay 244,317 or 41% ng target ng kabuoang 600,000 na target,” Agriculture Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Noel Reyes said in a virtual press briefing.

Under the DA’s Financial Subsidy to Rice Farmers (FSRF), the department has set aside some P3 billion to distribute P5,000 cash to local farmers who till a hectare or less of land and whose livelihoods were affected by the COVID-19 spread.

The FSRF is bankrolled under the 2020 general appropriations act (GAA).

The rice farmers will receive it as a direct cash transfer that they can use to buy either farm inputs, food for their families or anything they need.

The cash assistance is distributed through state-run lenders Land Bank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines.

The DA earlier said it will distribute the cash aid through over-the-counter withdrawal. -NB, GMA News