El Niño-affected farmers in Iloilo receive P50-M Presidential assistance

Farmers and fishers in Iloilo Province who suffered significant agricultural production losses because of El Niño have been granted P50 million in financial aid under the President’s Assistance to Farmers, Fisherfolk, and Families (PAFFF) program.

The first batch of approximately 2,860 recipients from the municipalities of Igbaras, Banate, Mina, Estancia, Calinog, Bingawan, Dingle, and Barotac Viejo received their financial support on July 26. The second batch of cash aid distribution took place on July 30, with 1,074 recipients from Tubungan and Balasan, Iloilo.

Iloilo Provincial Agriculturist Dr. Ildefonso Toledo said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. handed over the PAFFF to Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. during his visit to San Jose, Antique, the previous month.

“The first batch of municipalities submitted their Damage Assessment Reports to the Department of Agriculture (DA) Western Visayas on time and declared their LGUs under the State of Calamity due to the prolonged drought. Those in the second batch submitted their reports on time but did not declare a State of Calamity,” explained Dr. Toledo.

He added that 11,000 farmers from 22 municipalities in Iloilo were initially master-listed; however, only 5,000 farmers were identified as recipients of the P50-M PAFFF for the province, with each farmer set to receive P10,000.00.

Dr. Toledo also mentioned that Governor Defensor is seeking additional funding to aid the remaining 6,000 farmers not included in the initial budget allocated by President Marcos. The Iloilo provincial governemnt also planned for piglet dispersal for rice farmers affected by El Niño, offering two piglets to each farmer from six municipalities identified by the Provincial Veterinary Office.

Tubungan Municipal Agriculturist Marjorie Tacardon expressed her gratitude to the Office of the President for supporting farmers whose crops were 70 to 100 percent damaged by the prolonged dry spell.

“We attribute the inclusion of Tubungan in the PAFFF to the efforts of barangay agricultural workers in the master-listing of the beneficiaries and the responsiveness of farmers during meetings, which facilitated the timely and efficient distribution of cash aid,” added Tacardon.

Farmers like Nanet Aglinao from Brgy. Cabalic, Balasan, whose hybrid rice suffered total damage in the previous cropping season, hopes the financial grant will help recover crop losses and ensure a positive yield this year.
###Texts by SMHToreno and Photos by CFLauresta/DA-RAFIS and MLTrio (WVSU Intern)