TACLOBAN CITY – A total of 2,321 farmers from various parts of Eastern Samar province have received assistance from the government through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) and the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) programs.
The beneficiaries come from several towns, including Quinapondan, Giporlos, Balangiga, Lawaan, Salcedo, Guiuan, Maydolong, Balangkayan, Llorente, Hernani, and Gen. MacArthur in the southern part of the province, as well as Dolores, Can-avid, Sulat, Maslog, Arteche, Jipapad, San Policarpo, and Oras in the northern part, according to a statement from the Eastern Samar Provincial Information Office.
Each farmer received P5,000, with the assistance targeting those who own two hectares or less of rice fields. Eligibility for the program was based on the farmers’ registration in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA).
Among the recipients was Gleceria Pecenio of Barangay Carayacay, Maslog town.
Despite being a rice farmer, she and her husband rarely eat rice, relying instead on root crops like sweet potatoes as their main food source.
“I am happy because this will really help. I can now buy a little rice since it’s just me and my grandchild who goes to school; there are only two of us left at home,” Pecencio said in the vernacular.
“Our situation is difficult. We can only eat rice when we sell our sweet potatoes. That’s all we have. We endure it because we are poor,” she added.
Board member RV Evardone, representing his father, Governor Ben Evardone, noted that Eastern Samar was initially excluded from the program, as it was one of the 54 provinces that did not meet the eligibility criteria. The province’s rice production level of 60 percent fell short of the required 70 to 75 percent.
However, Gov. Evardone lobbied for the province’s inclusion in the national government’s assistance program, as it plays a crucial role in supporting local farmers and improving rice production in the area, the young Evardone said.
During the payout, beneficiaries also received a Universal Storefront Services Corporation (USSC) card, which will serve as an ATM card to streamline future cash distributions.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
