Department of Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar led the ceremonial distribution of cash and food subsidy worth P5,000 to eligible beneficiaries in the provinces of La Union and Ilocos Sur on December 26, 2020, and December 27, 2020, respectively.
A total of 354 farmers and fisherfolk received from DA a total of P2.075M worth of cash and food assistance comprising 165 farmers and fishers from the province of La Union and 189 farmers and fishers from the province of Ilocos Sur.
The CFSMFF program aims to provide farmers and fishers direct cash assistance worth P3,000 and P2,000 worth of eggs, chicken, and rice that can be claimed through the e-voucher distributed. Other than corn farmers and fishers, other eligible beneficiaries of the program are sugarcane and coconut farmers and Indigenous People or IPs. They must also be registered in the Farmers and Fisherfolk Registry System.
Ilocos Region’s allocation of about P70,100,000 under the program will benefit a total of 14,020 individuals from 49 identified eligible municipalities.
In the implementing guidelines of the program discussed by DA-RFO I Regional Technical Director for Operations Ms. Erlinda F. Manipon, beneficiaries must have an area of not more than one hectare. They must come from municipalities under 4th, 5th, and 6th income classification and from cities under 5th and 6th income classification. They must also be covered by any social amelioration programs for other commodities or by the DSWD and other government agencies.
The CFSMFF program does not only benefit those who will receive the P5,000 cash and food assistance but will likewise help cooperatives and associations who were accredited and tapped by DA as suppliers of the chicken, egg, and rice component of the said program.
The CFSP is a project of the DA in partnership with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Philippine Coconut Authority, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, and the Sugar Regulatory Authority with a total budget of P4.5B from the P6.5B stimulus package for agriculture for social amelioration project under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act of President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration.
Meanwhile, Sec. Dar, together with DA-RFO I OIC-Regional Executive Director Nestor D. Domenden, also distributed other projects such as various farm machinery worth P37 million during the program.
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