DA gives RFFA subsidy to Kalinga farmers

CITY OF TABUK, Kalinga – The Dept. of Agriculture in partnership with local government units and Land Bank of the Philippines distributed P5, 000 cash subsidy each to rice farmers tiling one hectare or less in three municipalities and this city to  augment their needs.

Provincial Agriculturist Engineer Domingo Bakilan said the province is now on its second release through LBP cash card.

“More than 1,200 farmers that composed the second batch of recipients received today the assistance under the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) of DA,” he said.

The first release was received by the first batch of 614 farmers.

He said municipalities covered under this program are Rizal, Pinukpuk, Tanudan and Tabuk City. “The remaining beneficiaries will receive the same subsidy, maybe to reach five batches,” Bakilan said.

Aimed to help farmers affected by the Rice Tariffication Law, 7,847 rice farmers from the four covered areas are eligible to receive the assistance based on the Registry System for Basic Sector in Agriculture, said Fevelyn Apil Macadaeg of DA-CAR-RFO.

Aside from RFFA, she said DA will continue helping small rice farmers boost their productivity and increase their income through the department’s other major programs such as the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, the SURE Aid loan assistance program, and continuous palay-buying through the National Food Authority. -- JDP/PAB-PIA CAR, Kalinga