QUEZON CITY -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) distributed packages of assistance, consisting of planting materials and other farm inputs, and various machineries and equipment, amounting to P121.38 million to farmers of Ilocos Sur and Pangasinan affected by typhoon Maring.
On November 4-5, 2021, Agriculture Secretary William Dar led the awarding of various interventions aimed at rehabilitating damaged farmlands of Ilocano farmers and enabling them to bounce back from their losses.
According to the agri chief, Region 1 incurred a total of P2.3 billion in agricultural damages, with Ilocos Sur suffering most of the brunt at 47 percent total loss due to the typhoon.
“We will be distributing interventions and assistance, including seeds to replant so you can continue with your production,” Sec. Dar said during his visit to the province.
The DA chief added that aside from the initial agri-fishery projects distributed in October, the Department is set to release additional support from the National Rice Program, the Agricultural Credit Policy Council, the Philippine Crops Insurance Corporation, and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
“Additional support amounting to P27.7 million will be released under the Department’s Quick Response Fund,” he said.
The distribution of interventions were part of the kick off activity for the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) in Ilocos Region, which provides cash grant to rice farmers tilling farmlands measuring two hectares or less.
For Ilocos Sur and Pangasinan, close to 160,000 rice farmers will receive P5000 each as share from the P7.6 billion RFFA fund sourced from the excess tariff collected from the rice imports as mandated by the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL).
“Bagama’t marami po ang kumondena, napatunayang hindi failure ang RTL, at nakikita natin ngayon ang impact at outcome ng batas,” he said.
Sec. Dar stressed that RTL, amidst criticism and reproval, proved to be a game-changer in the reform of Philippine agriculture.
“Ito po ay umpisa lamang, at kapag pinagbuti pa natin ang ating pagsasaka, siguradong uunlad ang rice industry ng bansa. Habang may RTL, may siguradong pagkukunan ng ayuda para sa mga magsasaka,” he said.
Sec. Dar added that the rice sector has improved in the past year with the combined interventions from the RTL’s Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) and the regular initiatives under the National Rice Program.
“With all of these, I am confident that we will surpass the production target of one million metric ton for the year, and attain our projected 20.4 MMT yield by the end of 2021,” he announced.
In his message, Sec. Dar thanked the food heroes for partnering with the government, and encouraged them to pursue projects to support the goals towards a food-secure nation.
“Huwag po kayong mawawalan ng pag-asa sa agrikultura. Ipagpatuloy ang inyong pagsasaka at pangingisda dahil kayo ang nagpapakain sa buong bansa,” he ended. (ARodriguez, DA-AFID)
