Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 29) — The Department of Agriculture is urging farmers and fishers to sign up with its Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture to ensure they receive government assistance.
Dennis Layug, DA Senior Technical Adviser on Information Technology, Farm Digitization and Marketing said farmers and fisherfolk should register so they will be given cash and food assistance.
“Ako po ay nananawagan sa ating mga magsasaka at mga mangingisda, pumunta po kayo sa barangay o sa inyong mga LGUs [local government units] at mag-register na po kayo,” Layug told CNN Philippines’ Newsroom Ngayon.
[Translation: I am calling on all our farmers and fisherfolk to go to your barangay or LGUs and register.]
He added that through the system, distribution of assistance will also be faster and more transparent.
As of Dec. 28, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said 1,031,440 farmers have already registered with the RSBSA.
The DA is currently giving assistance worth ₱5,000 to corn, coconut, sugarcane farmers, fishers, and indigenous farmers and fishers. Each beneficiary will receive ₱3,000 in cash, and ₱2,000 worth of food.
The agency was allocated with ₱24 billion under the Bayanihan to Recover as Once Act to fund programs that will help in the recovery of farmers and fisherfolk who were greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The implementation of lockdowns prevented them from transporting their produce, leaving them with no choice but to dispose of any unsold harvest.
The DA also has other programs that support local producers of poultry, rice, and small enterprises, as well as loan facilities that beneficiaries can tap.
Meanwhile, Layug said the DA will soon launch a farmers’ card that will be used for geo-tagging and geo-referencing, as well as automation of certain processes for faster distribution of assistance.
