STA. CRUZ, Zambales — About 1,200 farmers from this municipality received cash assistance for the Department of Agriculture (DA) under the Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fisherfolk Program (PAFFP).

The DA’s Regional Field Office III released P2,325 in cash assistance for each qualified farmer and fisherman here on April 30, which was the first day of PAFFP rollout in Zambales.

The DA-RFOIII released the second batch of assistance in Sta. Cruz on May 4, with subsequent distribution scheduled in the other municipalities in the province.

According to the DA, the cash aid under the PAFFP is intended as financial relief for farmers and fisherfolk affected by the continuing increase in fuel cost, and the resulting price surge of agricultural inputs, as well as basic commodities.

The P10-billion PAFFP cash aid initiative of the national government aims to support more than 4.17 registered farmers and fisherfolk across the country. The DA supervises the distribution through its regional and provincial offices. – Taktikom News & Features

PHOTO: A DA-RFOIII staffer hands out cash aid to a beneficiary in Sta. Cruz, Zambales (DA)