TACLOBAN CITY – More than 50,000 farmers and fisherfolk across Eastern Visayas have received a total of P120 million in financial assistance from the Department of Agriculture (DA) under the Presidential Assistance to Farmers and Fisherfolk Program (PAFFP), as the government seeks to cushion the impact of rising fuel prices and increasing production costs.
The distribution, which ran from June 16 to July 14, covered beneficiaries in 35 local government units (LGUs) across the region. Each recipient received P2,325 in direct cash assistance, according to the DA regional office.
The financial aid is intended to help small-scale farmers and fisherfolk cope with higher operating expenses brought about by increasing fuel prices and the rising cost of agricultural and fishing inputs, which have affected food production and household incomes.
The PAFFP is a national government intervention launched to provide immediate financial assistance to farmers and fisherfolk adversely affected by surging fuel prices. Beneficiaries are identified through the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) and other validated government databases.
DA- 8 said the assistance would help beneficiaries continue farming and fishing activities while easing the burden of meeting their families’ daily needs.
Among those who received the assistance was fisherman Leonardo Mendiola, who said the cash aid came at a time when his family’s income was barely enough to cover basic expenses.
“This program of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has greatly helped fisherfolk throughout the country, especially with the rising prices of fuel and other basic commodities. We truly need assistance from the government during these difficult times. This support is a tremendous help to my family because my income from fishing and other sidelines is only enough to provide for our daily meals,” Mendiola said as quoted by DA.
Another beneficiary, Rogelio Padilla, said the assistance would be used primarily to buy fuel needed for his livelihood, while the remaining amount would go toward purchasing rice and helping finance his children’s education.
“I am grateful to the Department of Agriculture. This assistance is a great help in purchasing fuel for our livelihood. Whatever remains will be used to buy rice and support the education of our children,” Padilla said.
The DA said the cash assistance program forms part of the government’s efforts to ensure that farmers and fisherfolk continue producing food despite mounting economic pressures.
Eastern Visayas is among the country’s major producers of rice, coconut, fisheries, and other agricultural commodities. However, farmers and fisherfolk in the region have been grappling with rising fuel prices, higher fertilizer costs, and expensive fishing and farming inputs, reducing their already modest earnings.
The agency said it will continue implementing programs aimed at improving the productivity and income of farmers and fisherfolk while strengthening the country’s food security.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
