4Ps may get rice instead of cash

(news)
In a bid to help Filipino farmers, the Department of Agriculture (DA) proposed the distribution of
rice instead of cash to beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), September 4.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar said DA has proposed the rice distribution scheme to
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) instead of giving cash for rice subsidy to the
4Ps beneficiaries.
“We have been in touch-base with the Secretary of DSWD. We said our proposal is why not give
rice this time around? And they are open,” he said.
“The final discussions are being made, so that this quarter starting of course September and next
quarter they can distribute rice,” he added.
At present, Dar said the DSWD has earmarked P28 billion of the rice subsidy program to the 4Ps
beneficiaries. The government provides P600 per month per household beneficiary.
Under the DA proposal, the DSWD will buy rice from local government units and the National
Food Authority (NFA) that acquire rice from local farmers.
“We have proposed this to help our affected farmers,” Dar stressed.
Furthermore, the government also implements unconditional cash transfer subsidy, a one-time
cash subsidy to 10 million poor households to cope with the impact of the tax reform laws.

-Hershey Jimenez