Duterte approves P21-B rice deal for Filipino farmers

The President has approved a Department of Agriculture (DA) measure seeking to provide P21 billion worth of assistance to rice farmers, a deal that will eventually benefit poor families enrolled in the conditional cash transfer program, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said Tuesday.

"Last night, ipinag-utos po ng Pangulo na instead na imported rice ang gagamitin natin sa 4Ps [Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program] program – 'yung sa rice rationing – 'yung mga Filipino farmers na ang mag-po-produce," Piñol told reporters on the sidelines of a Senate hearing on the department's proposed budget for 2017.

The 4Ps was the flagship anti-poverty measure adapted by the Aquino administration to provide poor families with cash transfers on condition that children go to school, pregnant women pays regular visits to health care facilities, and vaccinations are up to date.

"Twenty-one billion pesos 'yun. Parang nanalo tayo sa bidding. 'Yung rice farmers parang nanalo sa bidding," Piñol said.

How does it work?

Piñol said the Land Bank of the Philippines will finance the needs of local government units (LGUs) and farmers' cooperatives in order to support rice farmers with hybrid or certified seeds, fertilizers, and other farm inputs.

What the rice farmers produce the government will buy at support prices. The rice will be sold at "Bigasan ng Masa" outlets to meet the rice allowance of 4Ps beneficiaries.

During the election campaign early this year, President Rodrigo R. Duterte vowed to prioritize the 4Ps under his administration and promised to the beneficiaries at least a sack of rice.

"Iyang Pantawid, I will continue it at saka dagdagan. Diyan tama si Aquino," he said, referring to former President Benigno Aquino III.

In response to earlier calls of business leaders to review the program along with nine other proposals, Duterte made it clear he wasn't amenable to appraise the 4Ps. "And for now, I would say I see nothing wrong with this. These are all doable. It's a matter of just doing it, implement it right away." — VDS, GMA News