TACLOBAN CITY-About 2,688 farmers from different towns in Leyte have received their cash assistance from the Department of Agriculture (DA) the source of funds sourced from the Rice Tarrification Law.
The two-day payout that ended last Saturday (Oct. 22) was graced by Rep. Jude Acidre of the Tingog party-list group who said that the giving of P5,000 to the rice farmers was continued under the administration of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr. for them to tide over during this time of financial difficulties compounded by the pandemic caused by coronavirus disease.
The President is concurrently the DA Secretary.
The giving of cash assistance to the country’s rice farmers started during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte in the course of the implementation of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund which was the result of the enactment of the Rice Tarrification Law or Republic Act 11203.
The party-list solon said that he hopes that the beneficiaries will make good use of the cash assistance given to them by the government.
It was learned from Francis Rosaroso, head of the regional roll-out committee, that the 2,688 rice farmers were from the towns of Sta. Fe, Tanauan, Tolosa, and Palo, all belonging to the first congressional district of Leyte which is under the congressional district of House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
For this cash distribution, the regional DA office released P13.44 million.
It was learned that for this year, DA target about 41,181 rice farmers in Leyte who are to receive the one-time P5,000 cash assistance.
Those entitled to receive the assistance are farmers tilling land of two hectares who are registered at the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) which mostly source from the local government units.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
