The President, who led the distribution of rice assistance to 1,000 Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries in the Capiz Gym, added that he has directed the DA and the Department of Finance to speed up the distribution of the benefits for the farmers.
Aside from the rice assistance, the President also led the distribution of about P70-million worth of social services packages from the DA, Department of Labor and Employment, Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation, Agricultural Training Institute, Philippine Coconut Authority, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and Commission on Higher Education.
"Dagdag po rito marami rin pong maliliit na magsasaka ang matutulungan ng Rice Competitive Enhancement Fund sa pamamagitan ng mga makinarya, mga punla, pagsasanay at seminar at pagpapahiram ng puhunan para sa kanila," the President said,
"Umpisa pa lang ito sa mga hakbangin ng gobyerno upang mapaunlad ang buhay ng mga Pilipino mula sa pagpapalakas ng agrikultura ng bansa at pagpapalawig ng mga benepisyong handog ng iba pang mga sektor," he added.
Last September, the President approved and ordered the release of P12.7-billion for the RFFA program of the administration in a bid to help small rice farmers sustain their productivity amid some agricultural challenges in the country.
