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In pursuit of assisting more COVID-19- and typhoon-affected farmers and fishers in the region, the Department of Agriculture (DA) Region IV-CALABARZON, together with other DA attached agencies such as the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) IV-A, Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) IV, Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), and National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), continues to distribute cash and food assistance through its Cash and Food Subsidy for Marginal Farmers and Fishers Program (CFSMFFP).

As of February 2, the Department has already distributed P5,000-worth of cash and food vouchers to a total of 37,886 Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA)-registered farmers across CALABARZON.

Each qualified farmer-beneficiary was given P3,000 cash and P2,000 worth of food supply, such as rice, eggs, and chicken.

The CFSMFFP is part of the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act 2 by the national government, aiming to assist with 890,794 corn, coconut, and sugarcane farmers; fishers; and indigenous people in the Philippines.

For the beneficiaries to claim this assistance from DA, they must present their transaction code to any MLhuillier branch and their voucher code to any DA-recognized supplier together with one government-issued ID or barangay certificate. Farmers and fishers must also be listed in the RSBSA to qualify for this program.

In a recent press briefing, OIC-Regional Executive Director (RED) Vilma M. Dimaculangan encouraged all farmers and fishers to be listed in the system to take full advantage of the Department’s various programs, projects, and services, just like the CFSMFFP.

“Tuluy-tuloy pa rin po ang aming panawagan sa mga magsasaka at mangingisda sa rehiyon na magparehistro sa RSBSA upang sila ay higit pang matulungan ng Kagawaran,” OIC-RED Dimaculangan said.

Mr. Alejandro Macasinag, a member of Burgos, Bulo, Kalilayan Corn Farmers’ Association in Unisan, Quezon, expressed his appreciation DA’s CFSMFFP.

“Nagpapasalamat po ako dahil isa po ako sa mga mapapalad na nabigyan ng cash and food subsidy mula sa DA. Wala po kaming trabaho noong nag-lockdown kung kaya’t napakalaking tulong po ang natanggap naming ito mula sa DA,” Mr. Macasinag said.

Mr. Ariel Cabral of Adlas Farmers’ Association in Silang, Cavite, also thanked DA for its continued support to farmers like him. He wishes the Department more power, and may it continue to help farmers in need.

“Kami po ay labis na naapektuhan ng kasalukuyang pandemya at ng mga nagdaang malalakas na bagyo kung kaya’t napakalaking biyaya po ang programang ito para sa aming mga magsasaka. Nang dahil po rito, nagkaroon po kami ng panggastos sa araw-araw. Napakaganda rin po dahil nakakaabot po sa amin ang mga biyayang gaya nito kahit na po kami ay nasa malayong lugar. Maraming, maraming salamat po,” Mr. Cabral said.

Specifically, the DA CALABARZON Corn Program has already distributed cash and food subsidy vouchers to 1,576 corn farmers. On the other hand, BFAR already has 31,305 CFSMFFP beneficiaries; PCA with 3,965 beneficiaries; SRA with 881 beneficiaries; and NCIP with 159 beneficiaries. • (MAP, DA-RAFIS)