Marcos OKs release of P12.7B excess tariff for rice farmers’ financial assistance

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the release of P12.7 billion worth of excess rice import tariff collections for the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) program.

In a statement on Saturday, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said Marcos ordered the distribution of P5,000 financial assistance to help over two million small rice farmers sustain their productivity.

The total amount of P12.7 billion was sourced from excess rice import tariff collections in 2022, the Palace said.

The Rice Tariffication law, which allowed liberalized rice trade, provided a P10 billion annual appropriation for six years starting from 2019, which will be sourced from rice import tariffs collected.

The fund will be used to provide farm machinery and equipment, credit assistance, seed development, and training to increase local rice farmers’ yield and competitiveness.

Meanwhile, rice tariff collections in excess of P10 billion shall go to the RFFA program.

The RFFA is an unconditional financial assistance for farmers tilling below two hectares of land as mandated under Republic Act (RA) No. 11598, or the Cash Assistance to Filipino Farmers Act of 2021.

The government has identified about 2.3 million small rice farmers registered in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) as of June 30, 2023 as beneficiaries under the RFFA program.

The RFFA beneficiaries include those in the farm cooperatives associations (FCAs), irrigators associations (IAs), agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs), small water impounding systems associations (SWISAs), and other farm groups.

“[This would] help them cope with the increasing cost of production and sustain their productivity even in the face of challenges like the coming El Niño [phenomenon],” said Marcos.

The President also approved the utilization of P700 million in excess tariff collections for the “Palayamanan Plus” conditional cash transfer under the Household Crop Diversification Program, according to the PCO.

The program aims to ensure RSBSA-registered farmers, who are also listed in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), “will enjoy food, nutrition, and income security,” the PCO said.

Around 78,000 beneficiaries are expected to receive the Palayamanan Plus conditional cash transfer of P10,000 each, it added.

Aside from providing financial assistance to rice farmers, Marcos has also led the distribution of thousands of sacks of rice to 4Ps beneficiaries in Tungawan, Zamboanga City; Brgy. San Roque, Zamboanga City; Brgy. Santiago, General Trias, Cavite; Iriga City, Camarines Sur; and San Andres Manila, according to the PCO.

The Palace added that the President likewise extended P15,000-financial assistance to small rice retailers and sari-sari store owners affected by the implementation of Executive Order No. 39, which imposed the mandated P41 price cap on regular milled rice and P45 price ceiling on well-milled rice. —KG, GMA Integrated News