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Following successful rollouts in Northern and Eastern Samar, the wave of financial relief has reached Leyte, providing β‚±7,000 in RCEF-RFFA assistance to rice farmers across 34 municipalities just in time for the new cropping season.

Facilitated by DA RFO8 and local LGUs, the distribution was powered by USSC, the program’s official disbursement partner. Through this partnership, farmers received both their financial aid and their Intervention Monitoring Cards (IMC) for the upcoming season.

This financial lifeline specifically empowers small-holder farmers with two hectares or less, helping them navigate rising costs while ensuring that rice farming in the province remains a viable and sustainable way of life

Arnel Marte, 45 years old rice farmer from Hilongos, Leyte, shared that this is his first time receiving the said assistance and it came at a crucial time. β€œπΉπ‘–π‘Ÿπ‘ π‘‘ π‘‘π‘–π‘šπ‘’ π‘˜π‘œ 𝑖𝑛𝑖 π‘šπ‘Žπ‘˜π‘Žπ‘Žπ‘£π‘Žπ‘–π‘™ π‘›π‘Ž π‘π‘Žπ‘ β„Ž π‘Žπ‘ π‘ π‘–π‘ π‘‘π‘Žπ‘›π‘π‘’ β„Žπ‘Žπ‘› 𝐷𝐴, π‘˜π‘’π‘› 𝑑𝑖𝑖𝑛 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‘Ÿπ‘–π‘π‘’ π‘“π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘šπ‘’π‘Ÿπ‘ . πΏπ‘Žπ‘π‘– π‘›π‘Ž β„Žπ‘Ž π‘ π‘’π‘”π‘Žπ‘‘ β„Žπ‘Ž π‘Žπ‘šπ‘œπ‘› π‘›π‘Ž π‘šπ‘”π‘Ž π‘”π‘’π‘‘π‘‘π‘–π‘Žπ‘¦ π‘›π‘Ž π‘”π‘–π‘›π‘‘π‘Žπ‘‘π‘Žπ‘›π‘’π‘šπ‘Žπ‘›, π‘šπ‘Žπ‘˜π‘Žπ‘˜π‘Žπ‘π‘’π‘™π‘–π‘” 𝑖𝑛𝑖 β„Žπ‘Ž π‘π‘Žπ‘”β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘π‘Žπ‘” β„Žπ‘–π‘› π‘ π‘€π‘’π‘™π‘‘π‘’β„Žπ‘œπ‘› β„Žπ‘Žπ‘› π‘Žπ‘šπ‘œπ‘› π‘šπ‘Žπ‘˜π‘Žπ‘˜π‘Žπ‘π‘’π‘™π‘–π‘” β„Žπ‘Ž π‘π‘Žπ‘”-π‘’π‘šπ‘Ž. π‘†π‘’π‘”π‘Žπ‘‘ π‘›π‘Žπ‘™π‘Ž β„Žπ‘Žπ‘› π‘π‘Žπ‘”π‘π‘’π‘™π‘‘π‘–π‘£π‘Žπ‘‘π‘’, π‘π‘Žπ‘”π‘π‘Ž-π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘π‘‘π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘›π‘”π‘Žπ‘› π‘›π‘”π‘Žπ‘‘π‘Ž π‘šπ‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘šπ‘Ž π‘Žπ‘› π‘π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘π‘π‘–π‘›π‘” β„Žπ‘Žπ‘› π‘Žπ‘šπ‘œπ‘› β„Žπ‘’π‘šπ‘Žπ‘¦.”

[This is my first time to avail the cash assistance from DA, and this is a big help to us rice farmers. For us small rice farmers, this will help provide funds which can support our farming activities. This includes expenses for cultivation, hiring machineries, and other expenses we will incur until the next harvest,]

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‘œπ‘™π‘œ π‘›π‘Žπ‘šπ‘œπ‘› 𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛 π‘π‘Žπ‘”π‘”π‘Žπ‘ π‘‘π‘œπ‘  β„Žπ‘Ž π‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘’ β„Žπ‘Ž π‘Žπ‘šπ‘œπ‘› β„Žπ‘’π‘šπ‘Žπ‘¦π‘Žπ‘›. π‘Œπ‘Žπ‘›π‘Ž π‘›π‘”π‘Ž π‘›π‘Žπ‘‘π‘Žπ‘”π‘Žπ‘› π‘˜π‘Žπ‘šπ‘– β„Žπ‘Žπ‘› π‘π‘Žπ‘ β„Ž π‘Žπ‘ π‘ π‘–π‘ π‘‘π‘Žπ‘›π‘π‘’, π‘Žπ‘‘π‘™π‘’π‘Žπ‘ π‘‘ π‘‘π‘Žπ‘˜π‘œ π‘Žπ‘› 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑔 π‘˜π‘Žπ‘¦ π‘–π‘šπ‘π‘’π‘  π‘šπ‘Žπ‘˜π‘’π‘œπ‘‘ π‘˜π‘Žπ‘šπ‘– β„Žπ‘Ž π‘Žπ‘šπ‘œπ‘› π‘˜π‘Žπ‘™π‘’π‘”π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘–π‘›π‘”π‘œπ‘› π‘›π‘Ž π‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘ π‘Ž π‘šπ‘Žπ‘¦π‘‘π‘Ž π‘”π‘–π‘›β„Žπ‘Žβ„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘π‘Žπ‘” β„Žπ‘Žπ‘› π‘”π‘œπ‘π‘¦π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘›π‘œ π‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘Ž β„Žπ‘Ž π‘Žπ‘šπ‘œπ‘›,” Marte added.

[Without this cash assistance, we would shell out money as we prepare to plant our fields. With this aid, we can have spare money for other expenses which is a big leverage from the goverment.]

Another farmer, Renato Panal of Hindang, Leyte, said that the cash will be used to buy additional fertilizers. β€œπΌπ‘‘π‘œπ‘›π‘” π‘›π‘Žπ‘‘π‘Žπ‘›π‘”π‘”π‘Žπ‘ π‘˜π‘œ π‘›π‘Ž π‘π‘Žπ‘ β„Ž π‘Žπ‘¦ π‘”π‘Žπ‘”π‘Žπ‘šπ‘–π‘‘π‘–π‘› π‘˜π‘œ π‘ π‘Ž π‘π‘Žπ‘”π‘π‘–π‘™π‘– 𝑛𝑔 π‘˜π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘”π‘‘π‘Žπ‘”π‘Žπ‘›π‘” π‘Žπ‘π‘œπ‘›π‘œ π‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘Ž π‘ π‘Ž π‘Žπ‘˜π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘π‘Žπ‘™π‘Žπ‘¦π‘Žπ‘›. π‘†π‘Žπ‘›π‘Ž 𝑦𝑒𝑛𝑔 π‘–π‘π‘Ž π‘Žπ‘¦ π‘šπ‘Žπ‘π‘–π‘”π‘¦π‘Žπ‘› 𝑑𝑖𝑛 𝑛𝑔 π‘π‘Žπ‘ β„Ž π‘Žπ‘ π‘ π‘–π‘ π‘‘π‘Žπ‘›π‘π‘’ π‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘Ž π‘šπ‘Žπ‘‘π‘’π‘™π‘’π‘›π‘”π‘Žπ‘› 𝑑𝑖𝑛 π‘ π‘–π‘™π‘Ž π‘ π‘Ž π‘π‘Žπ‘›π‘”π‘”π‘Žπ‘ π‘‘π‘œπ‘  π‘ π‘Ž π‘˜π‘Žπ‘›π‘–π‘™π‘Žπ‘›π‘” π‘π‘Žπ‘™π‘Žπ‘¦π‘Žπ‘›.”

[I will use the cash I received to buy additional fertilizers for my field. I fervently hope that others will also be given this cash assistance so they can have additional funds for their farm expenses.]

Established under Republic Act 11203, the RCEF-RFFA serves as a vital safety net for the agricultural sector. The program channels revenue from rice imports back to local farmers tilling two hectares or less, cushioning the impact of increased global competition with direct, non-conditional financial support.

Under the RCEF, the DA is further strengthening the programs on certified seeds, farm mechanization, credit access, and extension services to improve farmers’ productivity and competitiveness. The DA also plans to intensify farmer training programs, promote modern farming technologies, and expand access to farm machinery in Leyte to reduce labor costs and increase yields.