The Department of Agriculture (DA) will continue its distribution of P5,000 to small-scale farmers in Bohol as part of its nationwide cash assistance program.

According to DA 7 regional technical director Boboy Namoc, some 90,000 farmers in the province will receive the amount starting next month.  

“Kung mahapsay nato tanang papeles, by September masugdan na nato og panghtaga,” said Namoc.

The cash assistance, which is will amount to a total of P350 million, is being rolled out through Republic Act (R.A.) No. 11598 which was signed into law by former president Rodrigo Duterte in December last year.

The law allows the DA to source funds from the excess of P10 billion on the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) to directly provide cash assistance to the small farmers until 2024.

Under the program, small farmers tilling two hectares and below of rice land will get an annual direct cash assistance.

Namoc said some 50,000 farmers in the province have received the cash assistance in the first round of distribution from January to May, this year.

“Ang atong e-priority kadtong wa pa kadawat pero og pananglitan naa pay daghan bakanti, kadtong mga nakadawat sauna pwede gihapon hatagan karon basta e-endorse sila sa ilang municipal agriculturist,” he said.

Namoc added that qualification of recipient farmers are being verified by municipal agriculturists.

“Atong gisalig sa atong mga municipal agriculturists ang atong pag-evaluate sa mga recipient kay sila may naa gyud sa lungsod,” he said. (A. Doydora)