The Department of Agriculture (DA) will give PHP28.9 million in total cash assistance to 5,792 rice farmers in Negros Oriental, an official said Tuesday.

DA-Provincial Agriculture Technology Coordinating Office (PATCO) head Alejandro Rafal said the payout kicked off in Mabinay town on Monday for 1,070 farmers.

“Each rice farmer will receive PHP5,000 to be taken from a budget allocation of roughly PHP161 million that was approved for Negros Oriental last year for some 32,000 beneficiaries,” he said in an interview.

In the succeeding days, the DA-PATCO will hand financial assistance to beneficiaries in Basay (860), Tayasan (1,918), and Canlaon City (1,944).

Previous distributions took place in Tanjay City and Bayawan City last month.

Rafal said DA is also providing fuel subsidies for tractors and other machinery. Each farmer will receive PHP3,000, a government intervention when petroleum prices skyrocketed.

A total of 110 farmers in Mabinay town received the fuel subsidy, while those in the other towns and cities have yet to be validated. (PNA)