DA exec: Only corn farmers, fishers will receive P3K fuel subsidy; rice, veggie farmers excluded

An official of the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Saturday said that only corn farmers and fisherfolk are entitled to receive a P3,000 fuel subsidy from the government.

“Pawang corn farmers at mangingisda ang nasa listahan ng 162,000 na makatatanggap ng subsidy,” DA Undersecretary Kristine Evangelista said in an interview on Dobol B TV.

(Only corn farmers and fisherfolk are on the list of 162,000 beneficiaries of the subsidy.)

Evangelista clarified that while rice farmers are not on the list, they are supported by another cash grant program called Rice Farmer Financial Assistance (RFFA), where they receive P5,000 in cash aid.

“Now, we are looking into corn farmers para sila naman ang mabigyan (so this time they will receive aid),” she said.

Likewise, vegetables and high-value crops farmers are not included in the beneficiaries list for the fuel subsidy.

Evangelista said the DA is helping them by giving trucks to farmer cooperatives.

The DA has a budget of P500 million to provide assistance through fuel discounts to farmers and fisherfolk who either individually own and operate agricultural and fishery machinery or operate through a farmers organization or cooperative.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said the department is working with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) for the distribution of the cards that will be used by the beneficiaries in the next few days. 

About 160,000 farmers and fisherfolk will receive a P3,000 fuel subsidy each from the government to ease the impact of the series of fuel price hikes on their livelihood. —KG, GMA News