DA to begin distributing P5K fuel subsidy to farmers

The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Sunday said it is set to distribute P5,000 fuel subsidy to farmers to help them cope with the rising cost of fuel as a result of the conflict in the Middle East.

This is after the DA has secured a P50-million sub-allotment, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said.

A total of 9,570 farmers relying on mechanized equipment are targeted to receive the fuel subsidy, based on the data provided by the DA’s Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering (BAFE).

“Farmers eligible for this cash assistance are only those listed in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture, as provided in the General Appropriations Act,” Tiu Laurel said.

The rising prices of fuel have affected production and transportation costs in the farming sector, the DA added. Mechanized farmers in particular have been affected by the increase in the price of diesel.

The release of the funds was prompted by the increase in global oil prices beyond the US$80-per-barrel threshold, which is a key benchmark under the government's guidelines.

The Department of Energy certified that the 30-day average price based on the Mean of Platts Singapore was already at US$89.02 per barrel as of March 13, the DA pointed out.

"The spike in oil prices has been driven largely by escalating tensions in the Middle East, where supply risks have tightened global energy markets. For oil-importing countries like the Philippines, the impact is immediate and broad-based — raising input costs for agriculture, increasing transport fares, and adding pressure on food inflation," the department said.

As for fisherfolk, the DA said a separate fuel subsidy is already being distributed.

“We will continue to look for resources to extend greater assistance to our farmers and fisherfolk—our food producers who are among those most affected by this geopolitical conflict that we are not part of,” Tiu Laurel said. —KG, GMA Integrated News