DA urges Cordillera high-value crop farmers to register for aid programs
BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday renewed its call for farmers in the Cordillera region to register under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) as the government continues consultations with stakeholders amid rising fuel costs.
DA Assistant Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Logistics Daniel Atayde stressed that RSBSA registration is essential for farmers to qualify for government assistance programs.
“Farmers must be RSBSA-registered. We are working to help them register, especially those who are members of cooperatives, as they are already endorsed and can be included more easily,” Atayde said during a stakeholder dialogue in the region.
He explained that the registry serves as a centralized database that identifies farmers’ crops, farm size, equipment, and production activities, allowing the government to better target assistance and support programs.
Atayde added that registration also ensures faster identification of eligible beneficiaries for subsidies and other interventions.
Concerns were raised during the dialogue regarding technical requirements and limited internet access, which have discouraged some farmers from registering.
According to the Department of Agriculture – Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-CAR), many rice and corn farmers are already enrolled in the system, but a significant number of high-value crop (HVC) farmers remain unregistered.
DA-CAR Assistant Regional Director for Operations Danilo Daguio said this gap must be addressed urgently.
“It is understandable that many HVC farmers were not initially encouraged due to limited assistance, but now is the right time to register,” he said. “We encourage farmers to approach us so we can assist them, especially as fuel price increases continue to affect the agriculture sector.”
The DA began a series of regional stakeholder dialogues in the Cordillera Administrative Region on April 1, led by Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr., to gather feedback and assess support needs amid global fuel price pressures.
Officials said there is currently no food shortage in the region, but rising transportation costs due to higher fuel prices are increasing the burden on farmers.
The DA said the consultations aim to ensure that food supply chains remain stable while targeted assistance is delivered efficiently to affected sectors.
NPO News Team | Philippine News Agency - PR
