Mt Prov corn farmers get cash, food from DA

By Carlito C. Dar

BONTOC Mountain Province -- The Dept. of Agriculture’s provincial office is now giving cash and food assistance to corn farmers in the province affected by Covid-19.
    The assistance is funded under Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan II), DA’s cash and food subsidy for marginal farmers and fisherfolk (CFSMFF) program.
    Under this program, P5, 000 subsidy is given each to corn farmers, sugar producers, fisherfolks and indigenous people to help them during this crisis.
    There are 818 CFSMFF beneficiaries with 64 from Barlig, 216 from Bauko, 89 from Besao, 43 from Bontoc, 24 from Natonin, 87 from Sabangan, 103 from Sadanga, 71 from Sagada and 121 from Tadian.
    Each beneficiary  receives  P3,000 in cash   paid through MLhuillier and P2,000 food subsidy in the form of rice, chicken and eggs, as the CFSMFF also aims to provides market support to farmers, cooperatives and association and micro enterprises producing rice, chicken and eggs to serve as food subsidy distribution partners.
    As of Feb. 21, DA said 543 of beneficiaries claimed cash assistance vouchers while 555 were given family food packs.
    The regional DA office reported   a total of 27,479 CFSMFF beneficiaries in the region composed of 9,839 corn farmers, 380 sugarcane growers, 14,997 fisherfolk and 2,263 IPs.  - PIA Cordillera