Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 10) — Agriculture Secretary William Dar said over a million farmers will receive cash aid starting in October.
Dar said the funds would come from the excess collection of the Bureau of Customs in previous years.
“Ang Bureau of Customs ay may sobrang nakolektang taripa noong 2019 at 2020 na umabot sa ₱7.6 billion. Ito po’y ipamimigay bilang ayuda sa mga magsasaka ng palay na may sinasakang dalawang hektarya at pababa simula ngayong Oktubre,” Dar said during President Rodrigo Duterte’s weekly Inter-Agency Task Force meeting on Monday.
[Translation: The Bureau of Customs collected excess tariffs in 2019 and 2020 that reached ₱7.6 billion. This will be given as aid to rice farmers tilling land two hectares and below starting this October.]
“Handa na po ito at maaari ninyong ipamigay simula ngayong Oktubre,” Dar said, adding that over 1.5 million farmers would benefit from the cash aid.
[Translation: This is ready and can be distributed beginning this October.]
READ: Senate passes bill on using excess rice tariffs as cash aid for farmers
In the same briefing, Dar mentioned that there is sufficient supply of food in the country, particularly rice.
“Sapat po ang supply ng bigas nitong taon at sa mga susunod pang panahon,” he said.
[Translation: There is enough rice supply this year and in the future.]
READ: PH posts ‘healthy’ farm output during pandemic, but small farmers still struggling — UN report
