Farmers, fishers, and poor households in Ilocos Norte province who suffered significant losses caused by the El Niño phenomenon were granted PHP50 million in financial aid under the President’s Assistance to Farmers, Fisherfolk, and Families (PAFFF) program.

Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc led the distribution of PHP10,000 aid on Sunday to 605 recipients from the municipalities of Pagudpud, Dumalneg, Adams, Bangui and Burgos, and on Monday morning to 1,856 beneficiaries from Dingras, Solsona, Piddig, Banna, Marcos, Nueva Era, Sarrat, and Laoag City and Monday afternoon to 1,120 beneficiaries from Bacarra, Vintar, and Pasuquin.

The more than 1,400 remaining beneficiaries will get their share on Tuesday.

Engr. Teresa Bacnat, acting provincial agriculturist, said in a media interview on Monday that a total of 5,000 beneficiaries were selected based on damage assessment reports conducted by the municipal and provincial officials and after validation by the Department of Agriculture in Region 1.

“We have listed a total of 8,163 farmers who were affected by drought. However, only 5,000 farmers were identified as recipients of the PHP50-M PAFFF for the province, with each farmer to receive PHP10,000,” said Bacnat.

Bacnat said the governor is seeking additional funding to aid the remaining farmers who failed to get into the list.

Farmers like Dionisio Badua from Barangay San Marcelino, Dingras, whose hybrid corn seedlings were put to waste during the previous cropping season, said he would use the fund to buy new seeds and is hopeful they would bear good yield this year.

“This is a big help for us to start planting again. Thank you to our President Marcos for giving us this much-needed assistance,” he said.

Another farmer Amador Asuncion from San Miguel, Sarrat town, whose high-value crops were damaged due to prolonged drought, said he would use the financial assistance to buy feeds for his livestock. (PNA)