BACOLOD City – Some 550 qualified farmers and fisherfolk in this city are set to receive cash assistance under the Presidential Assistance to Farmers, Fisherfolk, and Families (PAFFF) program.
Beneficiaries will receive P10,000 each to help them recover from the economic losses due to the El Niño phenomenon.
Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said the P5.5-million assistance will be sourced out from the additional P10-million fund received by the city from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. during the ceremonial distribution of cash assistance under the PAFFF here on June 27.
The aforementioned 550 beneficiaries were initially part of the 3,000 beneficiaries from this city but only 2,450 were qualified to receive the cash assistance during the ceremonial distribution.
To recall, a total of 8,315 farmers and fisherfolk in Negros Occidental, including the 2,450 from Bacolod, severely affected by drought were recipients of P10,000 each, totaling P83.15 million.
Mayor Benitez added that more qualified Bacolodnons would be given cash aid under the PAFFF.
The City Agriculture Office’s (CAO) has until yesterday, July 15, to validate residents who have not availed themselves of the assistance, he said.
The city mayor also said that CAO was validating the claims of several residents that they are entitled beneficiaries of the program but were not included on the list in their respective barangays.
After CAO’s validation, the list of beneficiaries will be submitted to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for final validation.
Mayor Benitez said they would have to wait for the final list of beneficiaries from the DSWD before they could schedule the payout./PN
