Around 37,000 farmers in EV to avail the aid
ALANGALANG, Leyte- Agriculture Sec. William Dar announced here that rice farmers are to receive P5,000 source from the excess collection of tariff out of the enforcement of the Rice Tarrification Law (RTL).
Dar made this announcement as he addressed the 13th National Rice Technology Forum held this town on Tuesday (Oct. 12).
According to the Secretary, at least 1.56 million rice farmers tilling of less than two hectares stand to receive the cash assistance.
In Eastern Visayas, an estimated 37,000 rice farmers could receive the P5,000 excess rice tariff assistance from the national government.
Sec. Dar said that he intend to lead the distribution of the cash assistance for identified farmers in Eastern Visayas on November 5 in Tacloban City.
“I have a good news for our rice farmers. We will be distributing P5,000 each for our farmers who are tilling at least two hectares from our excess rice tariff,” the Agriculture Secretary said.
Dar explained that since the implementation of the RTL in 2019 and up to last year, an amount of P7.7 billion ‘rice excess tariffs’ have been accumulated.
In return, this excess of tariff will be given to the rice farmers as financial assistance.
Last year, the Senate through the endorsement of Sen. Cynthia Villar, who chairs the agriculture committee, to allow the government use any excess of the rice tariff collections under the RTL to provide financial assistance to the small rice farmers.
This early, Dar said that only those who are listed under farmer’s registry of DA could receive the P5,000.
“But we want to distribute this cash assistance to our rice farmers by December so they will have a merry Christmas,” he said.(JOEY A. GABIETA)
