SEN. REVILLA FILES BILL EXTENDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO RICE FARMERS
In expression of his deep appreciation for farmers and cognizant to their plight to provide food to the tables of all Filipinos, Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. filed “Pantawid Magsasakang Pilipino Act” which aims to provide conditional cash transfer to poor rice farming households.
As a national strategy to reduce rural poverty and ensure food security and sufficiency, qualified poor rice farming households shall receive cash grants under proposed measure.
The beneficiaries of the program shall be identified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Agrarian Reform. The amount of the cash grant shall be sourced from the amount of annual tariff revenues from rice importation in excess of P10 billion and shall be determined depending on the number of eligible beneficiaries and the administrative and financial cost of providing the grant.
To provide additional income for rice farming household-beneficiaries, DSWD is also mandated to facilitate short-term intervention to provide temporary employment to members of qualified rice farming households.
Sen. Revilla is optimistic that when this bill passes into law, many rice farmers responsible for the food security of the nation shall be compensated for their great service to the Filipino people.
This Bill also complements Republic Act No. 11598 or the “Cash Assistance for Filipino Farmers Act”, which mandates the Department of Agriculture to provide conditional cash grants, which currently amount to P5,000.00, to rice land farmers tilling 2 hectares or less.
Senator Revilla, as a social justice champion, continues to fight for and alongside the marginalized sectors - farmers included. He assures the public that they have an ally in him in the Senate who would advocate for their needs. With Sen. Revill by their side, the hardwork and sacrifices of Filipino rice farmers will not go unnoticed nor unrewarded.
TULONG PINANSIYAL SA MAGSASAKA INIHAIN NI REVILLA
“Sa lahat ng hirap at sakripisyo na binubuhos ng mga Filipino rice farmers, nararapat lang na bigyan sila ng kagyat na tulong. Sila na nagtitiis sa ilalim ng nakakapasong init ng araw upang patuloy na matugunan ang pangangailan sa bigas ng Pilipinas, ang isa sa mga sektor na dapat nating pagtuunan ng labis na pansin at pangangalaga.”
Ito ang sinambit ni Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. matapos nitong ihayag ang masidhi niyang paglalayong makabigay ng tulong pinansiyal sa mga mahihirap na tagapagtanim ng palay.
Isinusulong ni Revilla na mabigyan ng tulong pinansiyal ang mga magsasakang pasok sa mga kwalipikasyong itinatakda ng iminumungkahing batas tulad ng: patuloy na pagtatanim ng palay, rehistrasyon sa Department of Agriculture sa ilalim ng Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture, pagpapalaganap at paggamit ng inbred palay seeds, pagpasa ng application upang masama sa subsidized insurance coverage, at pagdalo sa mga training program.
Ang naturang halaga na matatanggap ng mga magsasaka ng palay sa ilalim ng conditional cash transfer grant ay magmumula sa halaga ng annual tariff revenues mula sa rice importation na labis sa P10 bilyong piso.
Upang makapagbigay ng karagdagang kita sa rice farming household-beneficiaries, ang DSWD ay inatasan ding magsagawa ng short-term intervention upang makapagbigay ng pansamantalahang hanapbuhay sa mga kaanib ng kuwalipikadong sambahayan ng magsasaka.
Ang nabanggit na panukala ay malaking dagdag sa Republic Act No. 11598 o ang “Cash Assistance for Filipino Farmers Act”, na may mandato sa Department of Agriculture na magbigay ng tulong pinansiyal na kasalukuyang nagkakahalaga ng P5,000.00, para sa mga magsasaka na nagbubungkal ng 2 hektaryang lupa pababa.
Nangagako si Sen. Revilla na kasangga sya ng magsasakang Pilipino sa pagpapalawig pa ng mga ayuda at tulong sa mga bayani sa ating mga bukid. Hangad daw niya ang kinabukasan kung saan matatamasa na ng magsasakang Pilipino ang ginhawang kapalit ng mga pagsisikap at pagtyatyaga nila.