Agri dep’t grilled over assistance to rice farmers in 2022 budget

Two progressive lawmakers on Wednesday grilled the Department of Agriculture for the supposed absence of funds for cash assistance to rice farmers in its proposed 2022 budget.

During the budget deliberations at the House, Gabriela party-list Representative Arlene Brosas pressed DA Secretary William Dar if a portion of its proposed budget for next year is allotted for the cash assistance that will be given to rice farmers.

"May cash assistance po ba na maaasahan ang palay farmers dito sa 2022 budget?" Brosas said.

[Can rice farmers expect cash assistance under the DA's 2022 budget?]

In response, Dar said: "Wala po. Ang ayuda po, in a form of ayuda... are the free inputs that we give... production support."

[None. Our assistance is also in the form of free inputs, of production support.]

The DA has proposed a P91-billion budget for next year.

Dar instead said that rice farmers have obtained cash and food assistance, worth P4.16 billion, from the Bayanihan 2. Aid from the excess tariffs were also given to them, he added.

Bayan Muna party-list Representative Ferdinand Gaite also expressed dismay about the non-allocation of assistance for rice farmers in the DA's budget for next year.

"Nakakadismaya na ang tugon po ng Department of Agriculture ay walang ayuda na inaasahan ang ating mga magsasaka sa harap ng ragasa ng pandemya, 'yung tama ng African Swine Flu na hanggang ngayon ay di pa talaga nalulunasan, 'yung epekto ng importation sa livestock industries, Gaite said.

[I am dismayed with the response of the Department of Agriculture that the farmers could not expect assistance amid the effects of the pandemic, the African Swine Flu, and the importation of livestock industries.]

Dar, however, clarified that the agency is also providing "in kind" assistance to farmers as not all aid is in the form of money.

"Sa atin sa Kagawaran ng Pagsasaka, dalawang klase ang ayuda na binibigay po natin, in cash at saka in kind. 'Yun po ang tulong natin, in cash and in kind, direct subsidy. 'Yung in cash palagi ko sinasabi na base sa batas, 'yung RTL [Rice Tariffication Law] and isang source, number two ang isang source 'yung Bayanihan," Dar said.

[In DA, our assistance is being given in cash or in kind. The cash assistance was sourced from the RTL and the Bayanihan laws.]

"Hindi po kami against 'yung cash na ayuda pero ang pinoproject po namin na mas malaking tulong ay 'yung ayuda in kind," Dar added.

[We're not against giving cash aid but we are giving more assistance, which are in kind.]

Gaite pointed out that the aid which came from the Bayanihan laws are not enough for the rice farmers.

Dar said 832,386 rice farmers benefited from the P4.16 billion assistance from the Bayanihan 2 while 536,119 rice farmers also obtained aid from the P2.6 billion financial subsidy.

Dar said the agency would welcome if a third Bayanihan law would be passed so they can help more rice farmers as they are targeting to help around 1.5 million rice farmers.

"Kung mamarapatin po ng Kongreso, kung bibigyan kami ng mas malaking cash assistance, we will really welcome it," Dar said.

[If we will be given more funds to finance cash assistance, we will really welcome it.] — BM, GMA News