More than 500 farmers from Atok, Benguet will receive on Wednesday the PHP10,000 cash aid from the Office of the President (OP) intended for the agriculture and fisheries sector affected by El Niño.

“The amount is part of the PHP29.74 million the province received from the Office of the President during President (Ferdinand R.) Marcos’ (Jr.’s) visit to Apayao for the initial distribution in the region last July 19,” Benguet Governor Melchor Diclas said in a phone interview on Wednesday.

During that event, each Cordillera Administrative Region provincial governor received a check for the beneficiaries.

The region recorded about PHP1.4 billion in agricultural damage to rice, corn, high-value crops, fisheries, and livestock because of the dry spell.

Diclas said a total of PHP7.75 million was released to 775 farmers and fisherfolk in Kibungan, Benguet on Tuesday.

For the distribution on Wednesday, Cornelia Basaong, a vegetable farmer in Atok tilling 1,000 square meters of land for different commodities, expressed gratitude for the cash aid.

“It (will be) a big help because at least some of the losses will be recouped,” she said in a phone interview. “We thank the President, the government for looking after our welfare.”

Aida Pagtan, chief of the Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Information Service of the regional agriculture office, again called on all stakeholders in the agriculture sector to have themselves listed in the Registry System for Basic Sector in Agriculture (RSBSA) not just to help them be included in the monitoring and assistance of the government but also to help the government in coming up with programs appropriate for the various sectors to ensure the country’s food sustainability. (PNA)