DA-10 distributes PhP3.03-M fuel assistance to Bukidnon Farmers

As part of its ongoing efforts to promote farm mechanization and ease the burden of rising fuel costs, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) distributed a total of PhP3.03 million worth of fuel assistance to 1,010 Farmers Beneficiaries in Bukidnon Province.

Held on October 1 to 2, the distribution covered the municipalities of Damulog, Dangcagan, Kitaotao, and Quezon. The support was provided under the Fuel Assistance to Farmers Program (FAtFP), which aims to help farmers reduce production costs and transition to full mechanization, especially amid high fuel prices.

Each qualified farmer beneficiary received an Intervention Monitoring Card (IMC) loaded with PhP3,000 worth of fuel credits. To qualify, farmers must own or rent operational farm machinery registered under the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Management Information System (ABEMIS) and be listed in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) and/or the Farmers and Fisherfolk Registry System (FFRS).

To further strengthen support for mechanization, DA-10, through its Regional Agricultural Engineering Division (RAED), is encouraging more farmers to register their agricultural machinery and equipment under the Registration of Ownership of Agricultural and Fisheries Machinery and Equipment System (RAFMES).

“This program – fuel assistance to the farmers –is an initiative from the Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering (BAFE) to boost farm mechanization here in Northern Mindanao that supports farmers in operating modern machinery while reducing production expenses,” said Engr. Romil G. Española, RAED-PPMS Chief.

Española also urged the beneficiaries to use the assistance wisely, emphasizing the long-term benefits this support brings to their farming activities.

Gilbert T. Legaspi, a farmer from Kapalaran in Dangcagan town, said the fuel subsidy would help reduce his farm expenses. “This fuel assistance is a big help, especially when I rent a tractor. I save money since I no longer have to buy fuel. As a small farmer, this really lessens our expenses. For example, if tractor rental costs ₱3,000, we save ₱1,000 by providing the fuel ourselves, so we only pay ₱2,000,” he explained.

“The money we save can now be used for other farming needs. This program truly makes our work easier and less costly,” he added.

This initiative reflects the broader development agenda under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., focusing on inclusive economic and social transformation, particularly through enhanced agricultural mechanization. # (NQA)