7,684 Bulacan rice famers get cash aid

MALOLOS, Philippines — Up to 7,684 rice farmers in Bulacan will receive financial assistance from the Department of Agriculture (DA).

A total of 1,803 farmers from the towns of Bulakan, Calumpit, Paombong, Pulilan, Hagonoy and this city received P5,000 each on Monday.

A group of 1,496 farmers from Plaridel, Baliwag, Bustos, Pandi, Guiguinto, Bocaue and Balagtas were set to receive their share yesterday.

At least 3,500 farmers from San Miguel, Doña Remedios Trinidad, San Rafael and San Ildefonso and 885 from Santa Maria, Angat, Norzagaray, Marilao and the cities of Meycauayan and San Jose del Monte are scheduled to receive the cash assistance today and tomorrow, respectively.

The financial assistance is provided under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund of the DA, which aims to compensate farmers for income loss due to the drop in palay prices and increase in the costs of fertilizer and other farm inputs.

Early this year, 19,588 other farmers in Bulacan received cash aid under the program.