3,250 farmers in the municipality of Alang-alang, Leyte received financial assistance under the Presidential Assistance to Farmers and Fisherfolk Program (PAFFP) during a rollout led by the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 8 (DA RFO 8) through its Field Operations Division on April 30, 2026.

Similar to previous distributions, each beneficiary received ₱2,350 in cash aid, intended to help ease the burden of rising prices of basic commodities. The initiative forms part of the national government’s broader efforts to sustain agricultural productivity while cushioning small-scale farmers from ongoing economic pressures.

Beneficiaries welcomed the assistance, emphasizing its immediate impact on their farming and household needs.

Angelita Jelly Lansunya, president of the Bobon Irrigators Farmers Association, said the support, though modest, comes at a crucial time. “𝘋𝘢𝘬𝘰 𝘯𝘢 𝘨𝘪𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘪 𝘯𝘨𝘢 𝘣𝘶𝘭𝘪𝘨, 𝘣𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘯 𝘨𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘺 𝘭𝘢 𝘯𝘨𝘢 𝘬𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘥, 𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘶𝘰𝘯 𝘬𝘰 𝘯𝘨𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘪 𝘩𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘬𝘵𝘰 𝘯𝘨𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘢𝘨𝘪. 𝘐𝘨𝘱𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵 𝘬𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘪 𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘭 𝘬𝘢𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘬𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘢 𝘢𝘬𝘰 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳,” she said, noting that the assistance will help fund land preparation for the coming planting season.

[This assistance is already a big help, even if the amount is small, and I will make sure it is used properly. I will use it to buy diesel as I am about to start tractor operations.]

Meanwhile, Eduardo Nalda, 59, a farmer, said the aid would help them cope with rising daily expenses.“𝘋𝘢𝘬𝘰 𝘯𝘢 𝘪𝘯𝘪 𝘯𝘨𝘢 𝘣𝘶𝘭𝘪𝘨 𝘩𝘢 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘯𝘨𝘢 𝘮𝘨𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘨-𝘶𝘮𝘢, 𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘪 𝘯𝘢 𝘺𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘯𝘨𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘩𝘢𝘭 𝘯𝘢 𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘨𝘢 𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘺𝘢. 𝘐𝘨𝘱𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘪 𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘬𝘢𝘰𝘯 𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘣𝘢 𝘱𝘢 𝘯𝘨𝘢 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘢 𝘢𝘥𝘭𝘢𝘸-𝘢𝘥𝘭𝘢𝘸,” he said.

[This is a significant help for us farmers, especially now that goods are expensive. We will use this to buy food and other daily necessities.]

Eligible beneficiaries of the program include registered farmers and fisherfolk listed under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) and those actively engaged in food production and most vulnerable to market fluctuations, particularly smallholder farmers cultivating staple and high-value crops.

The Municipal Agriculture Office of Alang-alang, in partnership with the Visayas State University- Alang-alang Campus, ensured the readiness of the venue and the orderly distribution of the assistance.

The successful rollout in Alang-Alang highlights the government’s sustained support for grassroots agricultural communities, reinforcing efforts toward food security and inclusive rural development.

The PAFFP is a government intervention that provides direct financial support to farmers and fisherfolk affected by increasing input costs and other economic challenges. It aims to ensure the continuity of farm operations, stabilize food production, and protect the livelihoods of those in the agriculture and fisheries sectors.