DA eyes release of P10-B assistance for farmers, fishers starting April 6

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is planning to release the Office of the President’s P10-billion fund for the Presidential Assistance to Farmers and Fisherfolk (PAFF) Program as part of its assistance for farmers and fishermen beginning April 6. 

During the Senate’s Proactive Response and Oversight for Timely and Effective Crisis Strategy (PROTECT) committee hearing, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said that P2,325 cash aid will be given to 4.175 million beneficiaries. 

“Basically, we will be releasing ‘yung budget namin of P10 billion Presidential Assistance to Farmers and Fisherfolk, nasa GAA (General Appropriations Act) namin, hopefully by the week of April 6,” Tiu Laurel said. 

(Basically, we will be releasing our budget of P10 billion PAFF, which is allocated in the General Appropriations Act, hopefully by the week of April 6.) 

Tiu Laurel said the DA is just waiting for the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO), which he noted the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) committed to releasing by April 2. 

Of the beneficiaries, he said that 2.197 million are rice farmers that have two hectares and below of land; 1.475 million are those from the corn industry; 102,000 are those from the sugar industry; while 399,000 are fishermen with motor boats. 

“Before that, meron kaming konting pera sa aming fuel subsidy for the previous years na continuing, but medyo maliit siya. Inumpisahan nang ma-release ‘yun last March 19, but…konti lang ‘yun, if I’m not mistaken, almost 25,000 lang ang pabagbibigayn sa first release,” the DA chief said. 

(Before that, we had some continuing funds for fuel subsidy from the previous years, but it was quite few. It was released starting March 19, but…it was only a few. If I’m not mistaken, only about 25,000 were given in the first release.) 

“Tapos meron pa kaming FLR (for later release) na kapag naubos natin ‘yung unang tranche, ire-release sa’min. So total mga 4,000 lang beneficiaries na mabibigyan ng fuel subsidy from previous years namin,” he added.

(We also have a budget for later release that will be released to us when we use up the first tranche. So in total, only about 4,000 beneficiaries will be given the fuel subsidy from thebudget in previous years.) 

Budget Secretary Rolando Toledo confirmed the release of P10 billion PAFFF in the same hearing. 

The PAFF Program initially provides direct cash aid of about P10,000 to agricultural workers to help them recover from calamities such as typhoons and El Niño. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News