The Department of Agriculture in Central Visayas (DA-7) announced on 2 September 2024 that it has provided Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) to 68,000 farmers, each receiving P5,000.

The budget allocation for these beneficiaries is set at P699 million for 2024. Of this amount, DA-7 has already disbursed P340 million to 68,000 farmers across Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor. Central Visayas has more than 136,000 rice farmers in total.

DA-7 RFFA focal person Jonathan Limocon stated that the department expects to receive additional funds for the Rice Competitive Enhancement Fund (RCEF) this month.

"Republic Act 11203 or Rice Tariffication Law mandates that the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund -Rice Farmer Financial Assistance should allocate P10 billion per year for the RCEF from the collected tariff and the rest to be used for other purposes, the P5,000 RFFA for farmers registered under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RDBSA) is among these purposes," Limocon said.

Under the program, only rice farmers actively cultivating between 10 square meters and 2 hectares of rice fields and registered in the RSBSA are eligible to receive the P5,000 financial assistance.