23-K farmers promised P10,000 aid each

Will it be yet another “oh, promise me,” just like what some in the transport sector have received from the government?

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday said around 23,000 farmers will receive P10,000 each in cash assistance under the Presidential Assistance to Farmers, Fisherfolk and Families program, announced during an inspection of facilities in Isabela province.

According to Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro, the President has instructed Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian to extend assistance to farmers affected by drought in Isabela, as well as in the neighboring provinces of Cagayan and Nueva Vizcaya.

During a Senate hearing on Thursday, the leader of the transport group Manibela said only a fraction of their members had received the cash aid pledged to them (see related story).

The Chief Executive inspected the Ambatali Warehouse with Multi-Purpose Drying Pavement and the Ramon Onion Cold Storage Facility in Barangay Ambatali, Ramon, Isabela.

He was accompanied by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and provincial and local government officials during his inspection of the storage facility, a government initiative expected to benefit around 1,500 farmers from Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya.

The Department of Agriculture said the onion cold storage facility has a capacity of up to 20,000 bags, which could prevent the spoilage of about 4,000 to 7,000 bags, ensuring a year-round market supply and generating additional income for farmers.

The government is aware of price drops in onions and other agricultural products, noting that the lack of cold storage and drying facilities often leads to spoilage and forces farmers to sell at lower prices.