The Department of Agriculture is set to implement the “Fuel Discount for Farmers and Fisherfolk Program” that was allotted a P500-million budget in the General Appropriations Act 2022, or Republic Act 11639.
DA Undersecretary for Operations Ariel Cayanan said that targeted beneficiaries of the fuel discount must be registered in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) and the fisherfolk registry system of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
Cayanan led a meeting of officials from the DA Regional Operations Group, national rice and corn program directorates, and BFAR to flesh out the implementing guidelines of the fuel discount program that include the prioritization criteria, amount of discount voucher to be provided to qualified beneficiaries, and creation of a technical working group that will oversee the crafting and finalization of the guidelines and program implementation.
The DA regional field units and BFAR regional offices shall issue fuel vouchers to qualified beneficiaries to claim the fuel discount, a press release from the agency said, adding that the discount will definitely help reduce the production and transport costs of major farm and fishery products, and the market prices, benefiting producers and consumers alike. | NND
