The Department of Agriculture (DA), in partnership with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), distributed cash assistance amounting to P7.45 million under the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) Program launched in Alamada, North Cotabato on January 23.

During the event, 1,490 rice farmers in the province each received an LBP cash card containing P5,000 intended to aid farmers who are most affected by the low prices of palay.

“Dahil wala ngang kalakip na kondisyon ang tulong na ito, isa lang po ang hinihiling namin. Gamitin po sana ninyo ang perang matatanggap ninyo sa produktibong bagay kagaya ng livelihood projects (Because this is an unconditional program, we only have one request from you. Please use the money for productive purposes such as livelihood projects),” Agriculture Secretary William Dar said.

The RFFA started in December 2019 with a P3-billion government funding. It is implemented following an agreement between DA, LBP and the Development Bank of the Philippines to disburse the fund to 600,000 small rice farmers in the 33 top rice-producing provinces.

It forms part of the immediate interventions set up by the government to cushion the initial effect of the Rice Tariffication Law to local farmers. The RFFA Program was first launched in Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan on December 23, 2019. Earlier this week, it was also launched in the province of Occidental Mindoro. ### (Gumamela Celes Bejarin, DA-AFID)