The Department of Agriculture (DA) will start the roll-out of the fuel subsidy for farmers and fisherfolk tomorrow, March 17, during the visit of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in Tacloban, Leyte.
“We will start distributing the fuel discount cards to qualified corn farmers and fisherfolk in Leyte, where each will receive a total subsidy of P3,000. To avail of the 30-percent discount on diesel or gasoline fuel, they should present their respective discount card/voucher to fuel stations accredited by the Department of Energy,” said Agriculture Secretary William Dar, during the “Laging Handa” PTV4 program hosted by Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Undersecretary Rocky Ignacio.
The DA chief said that the fuel discount vouchers, which will be issued in partnership with the Development Bank of the Philippines, will be primarily for all farmers with machinery used in corn production from land preparation to postharvest activities, and for fishermen who own motorized boats registered with the “FishR” of the DA’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).
Recipients of the fuel subsidy do not include rice farmers, as they are already receiving P5,000 from the Duterte administration’s Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA).
“Hindi po kasama ang mga magsasaka ng palay dahil simula po noong 2020 ay nakakatanggap na sila ng limang libong pisong subsidiya mula sa Rice Farmer Financial Assistance or RFFA. Kaya, minabuti namin ngayon na bigyan naman ang mga magsasaka ng mais at mga mangingisda. So, binabalanse natin para mas marami po ang makikinabang,” added Secretary Dar.
“This year, again through RFFA, mabibigyan muli ang mga rice farmer ng P5,000 na subsidy, which will be rolled out this April,” the DA chief said.
The legislated P500-million fuel subsidy will initially benefit 158,730 corn farmers and fisherfolk nationwide. Under the DA guidelines, corn farmers and fisherfolk will be given a 30-percent fuel discount, or a maximum of P3000 per individual, upon purchase of gasoline or diesel from a DOE-accredited or designated fuel station.
The DA chief said he has already directed the DA’s National Corn Program (NCP) and BFAR, which serve as the program’s implementing agencies, to prepare an updated master list of qualified beneficiaries to accommodate more recipients, particularly in the second tranche as President Duterte and the Cabinet approved an additional P600 M funding. ### (Rita dela Cruz, DA StratComms)
