P10-B presidential aid fundtapped for farmers, fisherfolk
By Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel, Reporter
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it accessed a P10-billion standby fund supporting the Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fisherfolk Program (PAFFP) to provide cash assistance to farmers and fisherfolk dealing with rising production costs.
According to Memorandum Circular No. 11, signed by Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. on March 17, eligible rice, corn, and sugarcane farmers, as well as registered fisherfolk affected by the ongoing war in the Middle East, will receive P2,325 each.
“The PAFFP seeks to alleviate the impact of these developments on farm and fisheries production, strengthen farmer and fisherfolk resilience, and sustain production in the face of market volatility and rising production costs,” according to the circular.
The DA said the Iran war has added volatility to the prices of fuel, fertilizer, logistics, and other agricultural inputs, further squeezing the narrow margins of small-scale producers.
Farmers listed in the DA’s Registry System of Basic Sectors in Agriculture and fisherfolk enrolled in the Boat Registration system are eligible to receive the cash assistance.
According to PAFFP guidelines, farmers must be actively engaged in their industry during the economic disruption, with rice farmers aid limited to those cultivating farms no larger than two hectares.
Funded by the 2026 General Appropriations Act, the PAFFP is typically used to aid the agricultural sector after calamities.
However, the DA has said that geopolitical developments, such as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, can also be considered trigger events to unlock the assistance.
The DA said the corresponding Notice of Cash Allocation covering the PAFFP is awaiting release by the Department of Budget and Management.
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