The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has confirmed that the Marcos administration plans to provide a cash subsidy of P15,000 to farmers that may be severely affected by El Niño.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the agency is in talks with the Department of Agriculture (DA) for additional interventions following the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) payout for micro rice retailers and “sari-sari” store owners.
“We are coordinating with the Department of Agriculture to make sure the intervention will arrive in the coming days. Right now, we are finishing the payout for small rice retailers. I am a hundred percent sure President Marcos will want to see the shortlist with the department,” Gatchalian said in a television interview on Sept. 26.
He said the DSWD can implement an SLP-cash aid payout mechanism, similar to the subsidy for small and micro rice retailers, with the list provided by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Gatchalian said the DA will be responsible for the identification of SLP farmer-beneficiaries who will be most affected by El Niño.
Likewise, the DSWD initiated Project LAWA, or Local Adaptation to Water Access, in Davao de Oro, Ifugao, and Antique on Aug. 31, which aims to enhance community resilience against El Niño.
Project LAWA is a government initiative aimed at reducing drought and dry spell impacts by establishing small farm reservoirs, which will be led by communities.
Through this initiative, the DSWD will offer financial support to the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized families of indigenous peoples, farmers, and fisherfolk through cash-for-training and cash-for-work, in exchange for their work in constructing alternative water resources.