The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday said over 158,000 farmers and fisherfolk have each received PHP3,000 worth of fuel subsidy under the PHP1.1-billion subsidy fund amid the increasing oil prices.

In the Laging Handa public briefing, DA Assistant Secretary Noel Reyes said beneficiaries in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA), using motorized boats and crude-consuming machinery will avail of the subsidy, even after the first oil price rollback implemented on Tuesday.

“Iyan po ay ibibigay sa pamamagitan ng card mula sa DBP… Ipapakita lamang po iyong ID na iyan sa mga gasolinahan na accredited ng Department of Energy. Pwede po silang magpakarga at hanggang maubos po iyong PHP3,000 na iyon (This will be distributed through DBP cards, [they] just need to present [their] ID in gasoline stations accredited by the Department of Energy. They can avail and consume up to PHP3,000),” he said.

Reyes said an initial PHP500-million fund was allocated for the rollout, and an additional PHP600-million fund was later approved by President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Iyong PHP500 million po, ito lang Marso naumpisahan na po iyan last week sa Tacloban. Noong nakaraang araw nandoon po kami sa Zambales pero tuluy-tuloy na po iyan through our regional offices ng DA at ng [Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources] (The distribution of PHP 500 million subsidy was started last week in Tacloban. Last time, we were in Zambales, its rollout is continuous through the regional offices of DA and BFAR),” he added.

Besides the PHP3,000 fuel subsidy, the DA earlier assured the distribution of PHP5,000 worth of aid to rice farmers, under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund-Rice Farmers Financial Assistance. (PNA)