KALIBO, Aklan, July 1 (PIA) -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) 6 distributed a total of P99,245,000.00 cash subsidy to Aklan farmers under the program Financial Subsidy for Rice Farmers (FSRF).
The cash subsidy for farmers, at P5,000.00 each, was an intervention of the government through DA to help augment their needs during the COVID-19 pandemic when the province of Aklan was placed under Enhanced and later General Community Quarantine.
The assistance was also an initiative of DA to assist small rice farmers who plant one hectare of land or less, who are listed in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA).
The Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) Kalibo Branch conducted the payout in thirteen (13) municipalities namely Altavas, Batan, Balete, Banga, Kalibo, New Washington, Libacao, Madalag, Malinao, Lezo, Numancia, Makato and Tangalan while the LBP Caticlan Branch took charge in distributing the cash subsidies to farmers of Ibajay, Nabas, Malay and Buruanga.
A total of 19,849 Aklanon farmers were able to claim their cash subsidies, which were distributed at designated areas in their respective municipalities.
On the other hand, 700 farmers were unable to claim their cash subsidy, with reasons ranging from being double entry, being already a SUREAID beneficiary (another cash assistance from DA), death of the listed beneficiary, and failure of the beneficiary to go to designated payout areas.
The payouts in various municipalities were assisted by the Department of Agriculture 6, headed by Regional Technical Director Engr. Remelyn Ricoter, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) led by Acting Provincial Agriculturist Salome David, and various Municipal Agriculture Officers (MAOs) of Aklan LGUs.
Meanwhile, as part of the Provincial Government of Aklan’s assistance to farmers to help cope with the pandemic during quarantine, it extended a Seed Assistance Program for Aklanons as production support to local vegetable farmers (plantation or backyard growers) to promote planting of fresh and healthy food.
According to OPA-Aklan, the province, under Governor Florencio T. Miraflores, procured P1.2 million worth of seeds composed of pechay, sitao, okra, ampalaya, eggplant, patola, tomatoes, upland kangkong, corn, pipino and squash. (JSC/VGV/PIA6 Aklan)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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