Samal farmers wait for their turn to get P5K assistance from DA. Photos by Ernie Esconde
SAMAL, Bataan — The Department of Agriculture through the Land Bank of the Philippines on Thursday began distributing P5,000–cash assistance to rice farmers in Bataan.
It was announced that the distribution started in Orani town with farmers from Samal and Abucay towns to follow.
In Samal, rice farmers, some of whom are senior citizens, braved the hot morning sun and waited for their turn at the covered court of the municipal public market.
Some farmers, although thankful for the assistance of the agriculture department, could not help but wonder why the Land Bank handed to farmer-beneficiaries ATM cash card instead of direct cash that they still have to encash at ATM booths.
“Ang bigayan na ito ay sa ilalim ng Rice Farmers Financial Assistance Program ng DA bilang support mula sa Rice Tariffication Law,” Samal municipal agriculture officer Nora Medina said, adding that it was already the second batch of beneficiaries with 171 farmers having received their P5,000 each last April 15. This time, she said, 248 farmers were the recipients of the program for a total of 419 beneficiaries.
Medina said they submitted the names of 801 farmers to the Region 3 office of DA where it encoded and sent for validation to the central office 751 farmers.
“DA central office validated only 417 farmers that it forwarded to the Land Bank for payment. Ngayon may difference na 334 encoded farmers na hindi nababayaran at inaayos daw ng regional office pero hindi bumababa ang mga pangalan,” she said.
Medina said there are 859 farmers in Samal but they submitted to the agriculture department the names of 802 farmers with ricelands of 0.5 hectare to 2 hectares that is required to benefit from the program.
She made it clear that the financial assistance has nothing to do with the Social Amelioration Program: “Support ito mula sa Rice Tariffication Law.”
Farmer Leandro Lugtu of Barangay Santa Lucia and other farmers were grateful for the assistance in time for the extended enhanced community quarantine caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
“Ayos lang. Malaking tulong ito sa krisis,” Lugtu said after receiving the cash card.
