The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 8 (DA RFO8) spearheaded the distribution of cash assistance under the Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fisherfolk Program (PAFFP) to around 2,800 farmers in the 2nd district of Southern Leyte on April 28-29, 2026.

The initiative forms part of the national government’s concerted efforts to cushion farmers and fisherfolk from the effects of escalating fuel prices and rising production costs brought about by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which continue to affect the cost of agricultural inputs and basic commodities.

Beneficiaries of the program were identified based on the validated list of registered farmers in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA), ensuring that assistance is extended to legitimate and active farmers who are engaged in agricultural production and are most affected by increasing input and living costs.

For many farmer-beneficiaries, the assistance came at a crucial time when the prices of essential goods continue to rise.“𝘕𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘺 𝘱𝘶𝘥 𝘬𝘰 𝘯𝘨𝘢 𝘯𝘢𝘢 𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘢 𝘬𝘢𝘺 𝘬𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘮𝘢𝘩𝘢𝘭 𝘯𝘢. 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘵, 𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘰 𝘯𝘪 𝘶𝘨 𝘣𝘶𝘨𝘢𝘴 𝘶𝘨 𝘴𝘶𝘥-𝘢𝘯. 𝘕𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘺 𝘮𝘪 𝘯𝘨𝘢 𝘯𝘢𝘢 𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘢 𝘨𝘰𝘣𝘺𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘰. 𝘜𝘯𝘵𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘱𝘢𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘢 𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘨𝘢 𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘢 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘨𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘨-𝘶𝘮𝘢,” said Moreno Mendosa Valles, 69, one of the beneficiaries.

[I am grateful that this program is available, especially now that the prices of goods have significantly increased. The assistance we received will be used to purchase rice and other food for our household. We are thankful for the support extended by the government, and we hope that this kind of assistance for farmers will continue.]

Another beneficiary, Patronio A. Ogabar, also shared how the program will support their farm preparations.“𝘋𝘢𝘬𝘰 𝘨𝘶𝘥 𝘶𝘨 𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘪 𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘢. 𝘓𝘢𝘣-𝘦 𝘯𝘢 𝘬𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘯 𝘯𝘨𝘢 𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘴𝘶𝘨𝘰𝘥 𝘯𝘢 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘮 𝘴𝘢 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘨𝘢 𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘯. 𝘐𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵 𝘶𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘰 𝘶𝘨 𝘶𝘣𝘢𝘯 𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘨𝘢 𝘬𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘢 𝘶𝘮𝘢,” Ogabar said.

[This program is a great help to us, especially now that we have begun preparing our rice fields. The assistance we received will be used to purchase fertilizer and cover other farming expenses.]

Through initiatives such as PAFFP, the Department of Agriculture continues to strengthen its support for farmers and fisherfolk in Eastern Visayas, ensuring that government assistance reaches grassroots communities and contributes to sustaining agricultural productivity in the region, particularly during periods of economic pressure and rising production costs.