DSWD: Gov’t may still grant P15K subsidy to El Niño-hit farmers

The Marcos administration has not ruled out granting P15,000 in cash subsidy to farmers who will be severely affected by the El Niño phenomenon, the Department of Social Welfare and Development announced on Thursday.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the agency is in talks with the Department of Agriculture for other interventions after the Sustainable Livelihood Program payout of cash aid to micro rice retailers and sari-sari store owners selling rice.

The DSWD chief earlier said the SLP payout for sari-sari store owners has already started, following Malacanang's imposition of a price cap on regular and well-milled rice through Executive Order No. 39.

"We are coordinating with the Department of Agriculture to make sure the intervention will arrive in the coming days. Right now, we are finishing with the small rice retailers. I am a hundred percent sure the president will want to see the shortlist with the department," Gatchalian said.

He added that the DSWD can adopt the SLP-cash aid payout mechanism similar to the subsidy for small and micro rice retailers where the list of SLP beneficiaries was provided by the Department of Trade and Industry.

The DSWD chief said the DA will be the one to identify the SLP farmer-beneficiaries most affected by the El Niño phenomenon.

Aside from SLP, the DSWD launched Project LAWA, or the Local Adaptation to Water Access, in Davao de Oro, Ifugao, and Antique last 31 August to help improve the resiliency of communities affected by the El Niño phenomenon.

Project LAWA is an early action plan of the government to mitigate the impacts of drought and dry spells by establishing small farm reservoirs.

To assist the poor, vulnerable and marginalized families of Indigenous Peoples, farmers, and fisherfolk, the DSWD, through its cash-for-training and –work program, will provide financial support as an alternative income in exchange for the work rendered by the beneficiaries while constructing the alternative water resources.