The Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to begin distributing a P5,000 fuel subsidy to farmers.
The assistance aims to help the sector cope with rising fuel prices driven by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
According to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., the agency has already secured a P50-million sub-allotment for the program.
Around 9,600 farmers who rely on mechanized equipment are expected to benefit, based on data from the Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering (BAFE).
Only those listed under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture will be eligible for the subsidy.
Meanwhile, a separate subsidy for fisherfolk is already being distributed.
The DA assured that it will continue to look for additional funding sources to support the agriculture sector, which has been heavily affected by the situation in the Middle East.
(PHOTO COURTESY: DA)
