The provincial government of Ilocos Norte has rolled out a fuel subsidy program for local farmers to help them boost their livelihood.

The subsidy is part of “Agri Ka Dito,” a flagship program of the Office of the Governor that aims to provide community farmers and fisherfolk with immediate assistance amid the high cost of agricultural inputs.

In an interview on Thursday, Dhianina Torida of the Sustainable Development Center said PHP6 million has been allotted for the fuel subsidy program sourced from the provincial government’s share of tobacco excise tax.

“Interested farmers may walk in directly to the Sustainable Development Center or at the Provincial Agriculture Office for any request for agriculture assistance,” Torida told the Philippine News Agency.

According to the Provincial Agriculture Office, farmers may avail of the subsidy for the fuel needs of backhoes used in the construction and rehabilitation of small farm reservoirs, and of their hand tractors and harvester machinery.

“This is good news and helpful to all farmers,” Crisner Lagazo, owner of an integrated farm in Pasuquin, said on Thursday after learning about the provincial government’s subsidy program through social media.

Registered farmers may formally request fuel assistance through a letter addressed to Ilocos Norte Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos. The request is subject to field validation and assessment by authorized government personnel.

Aside from the fuel subsidy program, the provincial government also grants farmers crop assistance in the form of inputs, marketing, and transportation; irrigation, such as reservoirs, dams, and water impounding systems; provision of livestock and related services; fingerlings and fishery paraphernalia; and insurance.

Torida said all farmers with valid identification cards under the national Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture can receive various assistance from the government. (PNA)