MANILA – Two progressive lawmakers grilled the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday about the supposed absence of funds for cash aid to rice farmers in the DA’s planned 2022 budget.
During the budget deliberations at the House, Gabriela party-list representative Arlene Brosas pressed Sec. William Dar if a portion of its proposed budget for next year is allotted for the cash assistance to rice farmers.
“May cash assistance po ba na maaasahan ang palay farmers dito sa 2022 budget?” Brosas asked.
In response, Dar said: “Wala po. Ang ayuda po, in a form of ayuda… are the free inputs that we give… production support.”
The DA has proposed a P91-billion budget for next year.
Dar instead said that rice farmers obtained cash and food assistance, worth P4.16 billion, from the Bayanihan 2. Aid from the excess tariffs were also given to them.
Bayan Muna party-list representative Ferdinand Gaite also expressed dismay about the non-allocation of assistance for rice farmers in the DA’s budget for next year.
“Nakakadismaya na ang tugon po ng Department of Agriculture ay walang ayuda na inaasahan ang ating mga magsasaka sa harap ng ragasa ng pandemya,” Gaite said.
Dar, however, clarified that the agency is also providing “in kind” assistance to farmers as not all aid is in the form of money.
“Sa atin sa Kagawaran ng Pagsasaka, dalawang klase ang ayuda na binibigay po natin, in cash at saka in kind. ‘Yun po ang tulong natin, in cash and in kind, direct subsidy. ‘Yung in cash palagi ko sinasabi na base sa batas, ‘yung RTL [Rice Tariffication Law] and isang source, number two ang isang source ‘yung Bayanihan,” Dar said.
“Hindi po kami against ‘yung cash na ayuda pero ang pino-project po namin na mas malaking tulong ay ‘yung ayuda in kind,” Dar added.
Gaite pointed out that the aid from the Bayanihan laws is not enough for the rice farmers.
According to the secretary, 832,386 rice farmers benefited from the P4.16 billion assistance from the Bayanihan 2, while 536,119 rice farmers also obtained aid from the P2.6 billion financial subsidy.
Dar stated that the agency would welcome the passage of a third Bayanihan law, which would enable them to assist more rice farmers.(GMA News)
