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For 1,188 rice farmers in Samar, a β‚±7,000 cash assistance arrived just in time for this season’s cropping. Spanning 19 municipalities, the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund–Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RCEF-RFFA) marks a significant effort to support smallholder growers in the face of rising agricultural costs.

Led by the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 8 (DA RFO8), the distribution was carried out in close coordination with local municipal agriculture offices. These RFFA cash grants are specifically earmarked to help farmers offset rising production costs, including the purchase of high-quality seeds, fertilizers, and farm labor.

Among the beneficiaries, Wilfredo Senario, a rice farmer from Calbayog City, shared how the aid eased his concerns. β€œπ·π‘Žπ‘˜π‘œ 𝑖𝑛𝑖 𝑛gπ‘Ž 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑔 π‘™π‘Žπ‘π‘– π‘›π‘Ž π‘¦π‘Žπ‘›π‘Ž π‘˜π‘Žπ‘˜π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘– π‘ π‘Žπ‘› π‘π‘Žπ‘›π‘Žβ„Žπ‘œπ‘› π‘‘π‘Žπ‘π‘œπ‘  π‘Žπ‘› π‘˜π‘Žπ‘π‘–π‘‘π‘Žπ‘™ π‘ π‘Žπ‘› π‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘”-π‘’π‘šπ‘Ž π‘π‘Žπ‘”π‘Ž π‘‘π‘–π‘Ÿπ‘– 𝑔𝑒𝑑 π‘šπ‘Žπ‘’π‘π‘Žπ‘¦. π‘†π‘œ π‘˜π‘–π‘›π‘Žβ„Žπ‘Žπ‘›π‘”π‘™π‘Žπ‘› 𝑔𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑛𝑖 π‘›π‘Žπ‘šπ‘œπ‘›, π‘˜π‘Žπ‘ π‘– π‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘‘π‘’π‘› π‘ π‘Žπ‘› π‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘”-π‘’π‘šπ‘Ž π‘˜π‘’π‘› π‘Žπ‘‘π‘Ž π‘›π‘Žπ‘”π‘‘π‘–π‘‘π‘–π‘˜π‘Žπ‘›π‘” π‘›π‘Ž π‘ π‘Žπ‘› π‘™π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘› π‘‘π‘Žπ‘›π‘Žπ‘› π‘˜π‘Žπ‘ π‘– π‘›π‘Ž π‘Žπ‘ π‘π‘’π‘π‘‘ π‘Žπ‘Žπ‘‘π‘Ž π‘˜π‘–π‘›π‘Žβ„Žπ‘Žπ‘›π‘”π‘™π‘Žπ‘› π‘˜π‘€π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘‘π‘Ž 𝑔𝑒𝑑 π‘Žπ‘› π‘–π‘šπ‘œ π‘”π‘Žπ‘”π‘Žπ‘šπ‘–π‘‘π‘œπ‘›,” he said.

[This (cash assistance) is a big help to us farmers, especially during this difficult time when our capital is not enough. The aid is timely as we really need this to ease our burden now that we have started our land preparation activities and additional funding is needed as we progress our farming.]

Another farmer, Ma. Perla Adona from Villareal, emphasized the importance of the cash aid as she prepares for the planting season. β€œπΎπ‘’π‘› π‘€π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘¦ β„Žπ‘–π‘›π‘– π‘›π‘Ž π‘π‘Žπ‘ β„Ž π‘Žπ‘ π‘ π‘–π‘ π‘‘π‘Žπ‘›π‘π‘’ π‘›π‘Žπ‘˜π‘Žπ‘˜π‘Žπ‘π‘Žπ‘›-π‘›π‘”π‘’π‘‘π‘Žπ‘›π‘” π‘˜π‘Žπ‘šπ‘– π‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘Ž π‘šπ‘Žπ‘¦π‘‘π‘Ž π‘–π‘π‘Žπ‘™π‘–π‘‘ β„Žπ‘Žπ‘› π‘˜π‘’π‘™π‘Žπ‘›π‘” π‘π‘Ž π‘›π‘Ž π‘“π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘š 𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑒𝑑𝑠 β„Žπ‘Ž π‘Žπ‘šπ‘œπ‘› π‘π‘Žπ‘”π‘‘π‘Žπ‘›π‘œπ‘š, π‘¦π‘Žπ‘›π‘Ž π‘‘π‘–π‘Ÿπ‘– π‘›π‘Ž π‘˜π‘Žπ‘šπ‘– π‘›π‘Žπ‘˜π‘Žπ‘˜π‘Žπ‘π‘Žπ‘›-π‘›π‘”π‘’π‘‘π‘Žπ‘›π‘” π‘‘π‘’π‘›π‘”π‘œπ‘‘ π‘›π‘”π‘Ž π‘šπ‘Žπ‘¦π‘‘π‘Ž π‘›π‘Žπ‘šπ‘Žπ‘› π‘”π‘–π‘›β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘π‘Žπ‘” β„Žπ‘Ž π‘Žπ‘šπ‘œπ‘› π‘›π‘Ž π‘π‘Žπ‘ β„Ž π‘Žπ‘ π‘ π‘–π‘ π‘‘π‘Žπ‘›π‘π‘’,” she noted.

[Without this cash assistance, we would have to borrow money to cover the needed funds for additional farm inputs. Now, we have the option not to borrow anymore because we have available funds already.]

β€œπ·π‘Žπ‘šπ‘œ π‘π‘œ π‘›π‘”π‘Ž π‘ π‘Žπ‘™π‘Žπ‘šπ‘Žπ‘‘ β„Žπ‘–π‘›π‘– π‘›π‘”π‘Ž 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑔 π‘‘π‘–π‘˜π‘Žπ‘›π‘” β„Žπ‘Ž 𝐷𝐴 π‘˜π‘Žπ‘¦ π‘‘π‘Žπ‘˜π‘œ 𝑖𝑛𝑖 π‘›π‘Ž 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑔 β„Žπ‘Ž π‘Žπ‘šπ‘œπ‘› π‘›π‘Ž π‘šπ‘”π‘Ž π‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘”-π‘’π‘šπ‘Ž,” she added.

[Thank you so much to the DA for providing this much needed support to us farmers.]

During the distribution, DA officials emphasized that the RFFA works in tandem with broader RCEF initiatives. By combining cash grants with farm mechanization and certified seed distribution, the program provides a comprehensive toolkit designed to boost rice farmers’ yields and global competitiveness.

The RCEF-RFFA serves as a crucial safety net, cushioning the blow for smallholder farmers as they navigate the landscape of rice trade liberalization. Under the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), this targeted financial support is designed to shield local growers from market volatility, ensuring that despite the pressures of a more open economy, farmers have the sustained resources not only to survive but to remain competitive.