Manolo Fortich farmers, fishers receive cash aid thru PAFFP

MANOLO FORTICH, BUKIDNON – A total of 2,785 rice and corn farmers and fishers in Manolo Fortich received P2,325 cash assistance as the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) continues the rollout of the Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fisherfolk Program (PAFFP) in the municipality on June 25.

To date, 20,635 eligible farmers in Bukidnon have received the cash assistance, accounting for 20.12% of the target recipients in the province.

One of the PAFFP beneficiaries, Renalyn G. Lopez, a corn farmer from Barangay Santiago, expressed her gratitude for the aid, as it enables them to buy fertilizer for their corn field and provide for their family’s food.

“Dako na kayo ni’g tabang kay makapalit na gyud mi ug abono, dayon ang sobra, ipalit namo’g bugas,” she added.

Gemma G. Cania, Municipal Agriculturist of Manolo Fortich, described the government’s cash assistance program as a timely response to the needs of their farmers.

“We are hoping nga naa pay dugang tabang sa atong mga mag-uuma, kay without the farmer, wala gyu’y mag produce og pagkaon. In order to boost [our] food security, we need help from all sectors, especially the government, to really help our farmers and promote agriculture and food security.”

The PAFFP rollout is expected to reach additional cities and municipalities across Bukidnon in the weeks ahead.

For the entire Northern Mindanao, a total of 177,131 qualified farmers and fishers are due to receive the PAFFP cash assistance as the DA-10 is slated to wrap up the rollout in August.

Having close working coordination with the Local Government Units and the Congressional Offices in the region, the DA-10 has distributed the cash aid to 25,882 or 14.61% of the target recipients in the region.

Consistent with the government’s “Para sa Masaganang Bagong Pilipinas” vision, the DA sustains its commitment to empowering rural communities, maintaining agricultural productivity, and supporting the farmers’ and fisherfolk’s well-being as the backbone of the country’s food system. # (CRS)