ILOILO City – Local chief executives (LCEs) from Panay Island and Guimaras expressed their gratitude to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. for the P228-million financial assistance provided to farmers and fisherfolk severely impacted by the El Niño phenomenon.
The acknowledgment came during a ceremonial turnover on Thursday, June 27, at the Binirayan Sports Complex in San Jose de Buenavista, Antique, where checks were distributed to the provinces under the Presidential Assistance to Farmers and Fisherfolks and Families (PAFFF) program.
Each eligible farmer and fisherfolk affected by El Niño will receive a financial aid of P10,000.
“We are very happy that Aklan is also a recipient in today’s activity, especially for our farmers and fisherfolk affected by El Niño. It is gratifying to see the needs of our farmers being addressed,” said Gov. Jose Enrique Miraflores of Aklan, who personally accepted a P50-million check for 5,000 beneficiaries in his province.
The exact schedule for the distribution of funds has yet to be determined and will involve coordination with the Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO) and Municipal Agriculture Offices (MAOs).
Gov. Fredenil Castro of Capiz cited the timeliness of this aid, as it coincides with the end of the drought, allowing farmers to prepare their fields for the wet cropping season.
“This assistance will help alleviate some of the hardships faced by our farmers,” Castro commented while also receiving a P50-million check for 5,000 recipients in Capiz.
From Guimaras, Gov. Joaquin Carlos Rahman Nava thanked the President for the support which will significantly aid the local agriculture sector.
Nava accepted a check amounting to P28.410 million for 1,841 beneficiaries in his province.
Similarly, governors Arthur Defensor Jr. of Iloilo and Rhodora Cadiao of Antique each received P50-million checks for their respective provinces.
In total, 61,172 farmers and fisherfolk across the region will benefit from the PAFFF program, with detailed beneficiary numbers as follows:
* Aklan – 5,023
* Antique – 7,067
* Capiz – 8,293
* Guimaras – 1,841
* Iloilo – 30,632
* Negros Occidental – 8,315
Assistant Secretary for Television at the Presidential Communications Office, Dale Q. De Vera, explained that each province received P50 million for 5,000 beneficiaries to receive P10,000 each, except for Guimaras which received a lesser amount due to fewer beneficiaries.
De Vera also highlighted the collaborative effort of other government agencies such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Labor and Employment to extend additional aid to those not covered by the initial funds./PN
