By Shaine Mae R. Nagtalon
OROQUIETA CITY, Misamis Occidental (PIA)—In an effort to aid rice farmers, the provincial government of Misamis Occidental, through the Department of Agriculture (DA), launched the third wave of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund-Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RCEF-RFFA) program in the province starting January 18, at Bay Front Arena, Oroquieta City.
Some 3,268 rice farmers from the province got the cash aid, including 891 farmers from Oroquieta, Lopez Jaena (295), Aloran (984), Panaon (375), and Jimenez (723), who each received P5,000 in cash assistance.
“Ang inyong provincial government ug municipal and city government naglantaw sa inyong kaayuhan ug duna kita’y hingpit o kumpleto nga programa para sa atong mga mag-uuma, ang tanang kinahanglan sa farmers para mu-increase atong production ug muubos ang atong gasto,” Gov. Henry Oaminal said.
(Your provincial, municipal, and city governments are looking at your welfare, and we have a perfect or complete program for our farmers, all the farmers need to increase their production and lower their costs)
The RFFA, now in its third phase, aims to provide support to rice farmers tilling two hectares or fewer to augment their farm production needs, such as fertilizer and fuel incurred in using farm machinery.
Two rice farmers talked about what happened to them during the disaster and thanked the government for the money it gave them.
“Naagian gyud mi ug baha mao’y pagtanom gyud namo atong petsa 22 pagka 26, natabunan gyud ug yuta. Niutro na pud ko og tanom, nabahaan na pud og kaduha mao nang wala pako ka abuno. Unahon nako bayad sa tractor, bayad sa binhi, ug fertilizer. Daghan salamat pud sa tabang sa gobyerno,” Ronillo Raquerta, of Barangay Tuburan, in Aloran town, said.
(We were flooded, so we actually planted on the 22nd, but then on the 26th, it was covered with soil. I tried to plant again, but unfortunately it was flooded twice, which is why I didn’t have any fertilizer. I will pay for the tractor, seeds, and fertilizer first. Thank you very much for the government’s help)
Another beneficiary, Jesus Dominise, 48, owner of one hectare in Barangay Mialem, Jimenez town, said this is a big help for them and he will use the financial aid to procure more fertilizers and increase yield.
“Ibalik pud namo para naa na pud mi panginabuhian kay sa pagkakaron, galisod gyud mi gumikan aning kalamidad sa baha,” he said.
(We will give it back so that we can have a livelihood because at the moment we are really struggling because of this flood disaster)
A total of 9,400 qualified rice farmers in Misamis Occidental, from the cities of Ozamiz, Tangub, and Oroquieta, and the municipalities of Clarin, Panaon, Jimenez, Tudela, Lopez Jaena, Aloran, Sinacaban, Baliangao, Bonifacio, Calamba, Concepcion, Sapang Dalaga, and Plaridel, would benefit from the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) program, amounting to P47 million for a 3-day cash distribution this week. (SMRN/PIA-10/Misamis Occidental)
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