• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negrense farmers and fisherfolk who are affected by the impacts of rising fuel prices due to the worsening Middle East armed conflict, are expected to receive financial and fuel assistance from the Department of Agriculture.
Engr. Jose Albert Barrogo, Department of Agriculture regional director for Negros Island Region, disclosed on Friday that they are now working out the financial assistance to farmers owning two hectares of land, and fuel assistance to those with farm equipment.
While the exact amount has yet to be determined, Barrogo, however, recalled that farmers got financial assistance of P7,000 each last year.
Regarding the fuel assistance, he said the DA-Western Visayas office has remaining slots for Negros Occidental, where 736 farmers will receive P5,000.
For the 2026 fuel subsidy due to the Middle East conflict, Barrogo said they are still validating the list of recipients, and still awaiting the budget from the DA central office.
The DA is now preparing to utilize its P1 billion quick response fund (QRF) to protect farmers and fisherfolk from the impacts of rising fuel prices due to the Middle East conflict.
The QRF, which is typically used as assistance during natural calamities, will now be tapped after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. declared a state of national energy emergency.
“QRF, P1 billion, maybe we will request a fuel subsidy for motorized fisherfolk and maybe small commercial (fishing vessels). For farmers, biofertilizer,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a message to the Philippine News Agency Wednesday.
In a separate phone interview, DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said they are looking to allocate P500 million to procure biofertilizer.
To date, the prices of urea-prilled range from P1,653.82 per 50-kilo bag to P2,065.88, or an average of P1,813.14, according to the recent weekly data of the FPA.
The prevailing price of urea-granular, meanwhile, is at P1,806.67 per 50-kg. bag and P1,696.94 for complete (14-14-14) fertilizer.
The DA is also intensifying government-to-government collaboration to diversify the country’s fertilizer sources.
Despite the currently stable fertilizer inventory of the Philippines, De Mesa said the DA seeks to secure an adequate buffer stock to protect farmers in the next cropping season.
The DA earlier announced the release of P10 billion under the Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fishers (PAFF) starting April 6.
About 4.175 million registered Filipino farmers and fishers are set to receive cash assistance under PAFF, amounting to P2,325 per beneficiary.
The majority of the beneficiaries are from the rice sector, at 2.197 million; followed by 1.475 million corn producers; more than 102,000 sugar farmers; and about 399,000 fishers nationwide.
The DA also has a P150-million approved budget for its fuel subsidy program for registered farmers and fishers, amounting to P5,000 and P3,000 fuel aid per eligible beneficiary, respectively.
The agency said it is also eyeing to tap almost PHP100 million in unused fuel subsidy funds from 2023 to 2025 to expand the coverage.* with PNA reports
