SAN AGUSTIN, PILI, CAMARINES SUR  – A total of 84,053 rice farmers in Bicol have already received P5,000 cash assistance under the DA – Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) as of this writing.

In Albay, 27,078 rice farmers received the cash assistance;  7,446 farmers in Camarines Norte; 9,484 in Camarines Sur; 5,432 in Catanduanes; 16, 881 in Masbate; and 17,732 in Sorsogon.

This accounts for 95% of the total target of 88,118 smallholder rice farmers cultivating two hectares or less and are registered in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA).

The names of beneficiaries found to be ineligible to claim the cash assistance like those who are already working abroad or deceased have been submitted to DA Central Office by the DA Bicol – Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) for cancellation and replacement with eligible beneficiaries.  (Lovella P. Guarin DA RAFIS 5)