President Marcos has approved and ordered the release of P12.7 billion for the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) to help about 2.3 million small rice farmers amid agricultural challenges in the country.

Marcos, who made the order on Thursday, Sept. 28, said the RFFA would help the beneficiaries cope with the increasing production cost and sustain their productivity in the face of challenges, including the looming dry spell.

Under the RFFA, each beneficiary registered in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) will receive P5,000 financial assistance. This was sourced through the excess tariff collection from rice importations in 2022.

Farm cooperatives associations (FCAs), irrigators associations (IAs), agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs), small water impounding systems associations (SWISAs), and other farm groups are among the RFFA beneficiaries.

The RFFA is an unconditional financial assistance for farmers tilling below two hectares of land as mandated under the Cash Assistance to Filipino Farmers Act of 2021.

Meanwhile, President Marcos also approved the utilization of P700 million in excess tariff collections for the “Palayamanan Plus” conditional cash transfer under the Household Crop Diversification Program.

The program ensures that RSBSA-registered farmers, who are also listed in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), will enjoy food, nutrition, and income security.

Around 78,000 beneficiaries are expected to receive P10,000 each.

On Sept. 29, President Marcos assured Filipinos that his administration would continue finding sustainable solutions to address the agricultural issues in the country.

“Patuloy po tayong gumagawa ng mga konkretong solusyon upang matugunan ang mga problemang kinakaharap ng sektor ng agrikultura (We're looking for concrete solutions to address the problems the agriculture sector is facing),” he said.

“Magtulungan po tayo upang maisaayos ang ating agrikultura (Let us help one another to fix the agriculture sector)," he added.

Before this, President Marcos extended P15,000 in financial assistance to small rice retailers and sari-sari store owners affected by the implementation of Executive Order No. 39, which imposed a price cap on regular milled and well-milled rice.