RRSS News Online Newspaper ng mga Pinoy
A total of P10-billion government fund from the national government will be divided to over 4.17 million farmers and fisherfolk and beneficiaries in the country.
This, as the Department of Agriculture has launched Wednesday, April 15, the rollout of the Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fisherfolk Program (PAFFP). This is funded under Republic Act No. 12314 or the 2026 General Appropriations Act.
The cash assistance program seeks to provide immediate support to vulnerable producers, in order to mitigate the impact of rising input costs on sustaining productivity. This is due to the surging production and input costs, made urgent by the fuel price hike caused by the oil crisis.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel has said, “This financial assistance, while admittedly small, provides a lifeline for over 4.1 million Filipino farmers and fisherfolk hit hard by soaring petroleum product prices.”
Under PAFFP, the country’s over 4.17 million beneficiaries will each receive P2,325. Initial payouts will begin next week in Regions I, II, III, VI, and IX on the first tranche. Authorities are now working to finalize master lists and distribution systems.
Beneficiaries are those rice farmers tilling 2 hectares and below, corn and sugarcane farmers.
They have to be registered under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) and the National Program for Municipal Fishing Vessels and Gears Registration (BoatR) systems across key agricultural sectors.
PAFFP reflects a wider shift toward direct cash assistance as response to economic strain.
Sources: Department of Agriculture, Inquirer, GMA News
