The Department of Agriculture’s (DA) is preparing the rollout of the P10-billion Presidential Assistance to Farmers and Fisherfolk (PAFF) Program. Distribution is expected to begin the week of April 6.

During a recent Senate committee hearing, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. confirmed that approximately 4.175 million beneficiaries will receive assistance.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is scheduled to release the necessary Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) by April 2.

The program's reach includes:

• 2.197 million rice farmers (cultivating two hectares or less)

• 1.475 million corn sector workers

• 102,000 sugar industry workers

• 399,000 fishermen operating motorized boats

Additionally, the DA has begun releasing smaller fuel subsidies from previous years' allocations, which started on March 19.

While the initial release covers approximately 25,000 recipients, a second tranche is expected to follow.

“Before that, meron kaming konting pera sa aming fuel subsidy for the previous years na continuing, but medyo maliit siya. Inumpisahan nang ma-release ‘yun last March 19, but…konti lang ‘yun, if I’m not mistaken, almost 25,000 lang ang pabagbibigayn sa first release,” the DA chief said.

“Tapos meron pa kaming FLR (for later release) na kapag naubos natin ‘yung unang tranche, ire-release sa’min. So total mga 4,000 lang beneficiaries na mabibigyan ng fuel subsidy from previous years namin,” he added.

The PAFF Program remains a critical initiative to provide direct cash assistance to help our farmers and fisherfolk recover from the impacts of natural disasters and El Niño.

-Paraluman News