Press Release
October 14, 2021

Villar renews call for cash aid to farmers

DUE to the huge damage to agriculture estimated to reach more than 600 million by typhoon Maring that battered some areas of the country, Sen. Cynthia A. Villar cited the urgent need of cash aid to Filipino farmers.

Based on the latest data from the Department of Agriculture (DA), typhoon Maring had affected 29,063 farmers and fishers, with a volume of production loss at 36,354 metric tons (MT) and damaged 32,882 hectares of agricultural areas in Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Bicol Region, and Western Visayas.

Aside from the latest typhoon, Villar noted that the low palay prices and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic saw the need to provide financial assistance to farmers whose lives and income were also severely affected by these challenges.

The Cash Assistance to Filipino Rice Farmers Act of 2020 that would benefit over 1.673 million small rice farmers is still awaiting the signature of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Villar, chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Food Committee, initiated the move to institutionalize the giving to the rice farmers the excess collections from the P10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) collection of the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

"The Cash Assistance for Filipino Rice Farmers Act of 2020 recommends that any amount in excess of the P10-B RCEF collection by the BOC shall automatically be given as cash assistance to rice farmers who are tilling 2 hectares or less of rice land, which is estimated at 1.673 million as listed in the Registry System of Basic Sectors (RSBS)," said Villar.

This financial subsidy to farmers, Villar noted, is pursuant to the mandate of Republic Act 11203 or An Act Liberalizing the importation, Exportation or Trading of Rice or the Rice Tarification Law.

Villar said Filipino rice farmers are continuously facing the many challenges brought about by the liberalization of rice importation in 2019, the series of destructive typhoons that hit their farms and the Covid-19 pandemic.

"So I strongly believe that our farmers need more support and assistance to cope up with the several challenges, especially now that we are in a pandemic, and their health is also at risk," she said.

"This would alleviate their living condition brought about the declining palay prices due to several factors and the coronavirus pandemic," added Villar.

Towards this end, she said, the state shall provide monetary assistance to the hardest hit segments of our small farmers in the form of actual giving of cash to them.

Villar related that excess collection in 2019 amounting to P2.135 billion and the P5.408 billion in 2020 were already allocated as cash assistance to our rice farmers under the General Appropriations Act of 2021.

The BOC, In their September report, said it has recorded a collection from rice importation amounting to P11.69 billion in tariffs from the 1.74 million metric tons (MT) of rice imports from January to August this year.

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Villar, muling nanawagan ng cash aid para sa mga magsasaka

DAHIL sa malaking pinsala sa agrikultura na aabot sa mahigit P600 milyon dulot ng bagyong Maring na rumagasa sa ilang lugar sa bansa, iginiit ni Sen. Cynthia A. Villar ang agarang pinansiyal na tulong sa mga Pilipinong magsasaka.

Base sa pinahuling data ng Department of Agriculture (DA), naapektuhan ng bagyong Maring ang 29,063 magsasaka at mangingisda na ang volume ng production loss ay 36,354 metric tons (MT). Napinsala rin ang 32,882 ektaryang agricultural areas sa Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Bicol Region at Western Visayas.

Bukod sa pinakahuling bagyo, ang mababang presyo ng palay at ang Covid-19 pandemic ang ilan din sa mga dahilan upang bigyan ng pinansiyal na tulong ang mga magsasaka na apektado ang kanilang buhay at kita ng mga ganitong hamon.

Kasalukuyang hinihintay pa ang lagda ni President Rodrigo Duterte para maisabatas ang Cash Assistance to Filipino Rice Farmers Act of 2020 na pakikinabangan ng may 1.673 milyong maliliit na magsasaka.

Isinulong ni Villar, chairman ng Senate Agriculture and Food Committee, para ma-institutionalize ang pagbibigay sa rice farmers ng sobrang koleksyon ng Bureau of Customs (BOC) mula sa P10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF).

"The Cash Assistance for Filipino Rice Farmers Act of 2020 recommends that any amount in excess of the P10-B RCEF collection by the BOC shall automatically be given as cash assistance to rice farmers who are tilling 2 hectares or less of rice land, which is estimated at 1.673 million as listed in the Registry System of Basic Sectors (RSBS)," ayon kay Villar.

Iginiit ni Villar na ang financial subsidy sa mga magsasaka ay alinsunod sa mandato ng Republic Act 11203 o An Act Liberalizing the importation, Exportation or Trading of Rice or the Rice Tarification Law.

Sinabi ni Villar na patuloy ding nahaharap ang Filipino rice farmers sa mga hamon dulot ng

liberalization ng rice importation noong 2019, ang mga nakapipinsalang bagyo na sumisira sa sakahan at ang Covid-19 pandemic.

"So I strongly believe that our farmers need more support and assistance to cope up with the several challenges, especially now that we are in a pandemic, and their health is also at risk," sabi ni Villar.

"This would alleviate their living condition brought about the declining palay prices due to several factors and the coronavirus pandemic," dagdag pa ni Villar.

"Towards this end, she said, the state shall provide monetary assistance to the hardest hit segments of our small farmers in the form of actual giving of cash to them."

Ipinahayag ni Villar na ang P2.135 billion na sobrang koleksyon noong 2019 at P5.408 billion noong 2020 ay nailaan na para sa cash assistance sa ating rice farmers sa ilalim ng General Appropriations Act of 2021.

Sinabi ng BOC sa kanilang September report na naitala nila ang P11.69 bilyon mula sa taripa sa 1.74 million metric tons (MT) ng rice imports noong January hanggang August ng taong ito.

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