A total of 68,808 farmers in the province of Iloilo will receive financial assistance from the Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).

The qualified beneficiaries are those tilling or owning a cumulative rice area of two hectares and below. They are entitled to receive P5,000 each.

“Ang mabaton nga P5,000 sang aton mga mangunguma are from the excess tariff from rice importation,” said DA-6 Regional Executive Director Remelyn R. Recoter.

The DA-6 piloted the cash distribution via DBP to at least 1,200 rice farmers in the town of Janiuay and 1,067 in Santa Barbara on December 6 and 7.

The agency is targeting to distribute the cash aid to 13,264 rice farmers in Janiuay, Santa Barbara, New Lucena, Oton, Badiangan, Lambunao, Calinog, Bingawan, Iloilo City, Tubungan, and Igbaras this month through the Interventions Monitoring Card (IMC).

However, DA and LBP are still finalizing the schedule for Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) distribution to the remaining towns .

A total of P344.04 million has been alloted for the cash subsidy of farmers in the province.IMT