THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Negros Occidental-North said a total of 1,400 farmers in the Cities of Bacolod and Talisay, and towns of Murcia and Salvador Benedicto are receiving P5,000 in food and financial assistance this year.

The second batch of evaluation and registration of farmer-recipients were conducted in Barangay Canlandog in Murcia town recently.

DAR Municipal Office-Murcia, in a statement, said the agency’s role is to screen farmer-recipients, prioritizing eligible agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) who are actual tillers of Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program-awarded lands.

The cash and food assistance program is funded by the Sugar Regulatory Administration, as mandated under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2).

The program aims to help marginal farmers who were severely affected by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

Under which, the recipients will receive P2,000 worth of rice and egg, and P3,000 cash assistance.

The implementing agencies include the Department of Agriculture, Philippine Coconut Authority, Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.