THE Department of Agriculture (DA), through the Regional Field Office-Central Luzon, alongside the Development Bank of the Philippines as one of its partner government financial institutions and Universal Storefront Services Corporation as the Financial Technology Partner, distributed P5,000 cash assistance to Nueva Ecija farmers.

The assistance was made through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund–Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RCEF-RFFA) Program, which was held on December 3 at the Provincial Evacuation Center, in San Isidro, Nueva Ecija.

The event aims to showcase the DA-Intervention Monitoring Card, demonstrate the RCEF-RFFA withdrawal/distribution scheme, and feature rice farmer-beneficiaries.

Rice Banner Program Focal Person Lowell Rebillaco said this program is one of the greatest manifestations where the agriculture sector embraces and adapts to a fast-changing and digitalizing world.

“Especially at this time of the pandemic, the P5,000 cash assistance would be of great help to the farmers as the effects of Covid-19 are still perpetuating in our communities,” Rebillaco added.

The enactment of Republic Act (RA) 11203, or the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), marked a significant transition in the Philippine rice industry, from one protected by quantitative restrictions on import to its replacement by a more open trading regime for rice.

Apart from this provision, RTL created the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund-Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RCEF-RFFA) Program to provide secure and direct unconditional cash assistance amounting to P5,000 to RSBSA registered rice farmers with landholdings of two hectares and below as compensation for the projected reduction or loss of farm income arising from the tariffication of the quantitative import restrictions on rice.