DUMAGUETE CITY – The Department of Agriculture in the Negros Island Region (DA-NIR) has begun distributing assistance under the Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fisherfolk Program (PAFFP) in Canlaon City, benefiting nearly 3,000 agricultural workers.
Dana Sampilo, DA-NIR Alternate Rice Program focal person, said Canlaon is the first local government unit in Negros Oriental to receive the aid. A total of 2,982 beneficiaries—including rice and corn farmers as well as sugarcane workers—each received ₱2,325.
Sampilo explained that the financial assistance aims to help farmers and fisherfolk cope with rising production costs, particularly due to increasing fuel prices and the effects of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
The list of rice and corn farmer beneficiaries was validated by the local government using the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA), which serves as the official database for identifying recipients of government support. For the sugarcane sector, the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) worked closely with the LGU to verify eligible workers. Distribution of the aid took place at the Panubigan Covered Court.
The rollout of the program will continue in other parts of Negros Oriental, with upcoming distributions scheduled in Jimalalud, San Jose, and nearby municipalities. In Siquijor, which is also under the Negros Island Region, payouts are set for April 29 and 30, while Negros Occidental has already initiated distribution in several localities.
The PAFFP is a ₱10-billion initiative of the Department of Agriculture that provides unconditional cash assistance to more than 4 million registered farmers and fisherfolk nationwide, helping cushion the impact of rising costs in the agriculture sector.
NPO News Team | Philippine News Agency - PR
