Antique: The Department of Agriculture is targeting 44,161 farmers from Antique for the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund-Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RCEF-RFFA) amounting to PHP309.12 million. In an interview on Thursday, Antique Agricultural Program Coordinating Office head Sonie Guanco said they started releasing the intervention monitoring card (IMC) or automated teller machine card to farmer-beneficiaries belonging to the first batch of 2024 program beneficiaries on Jan. 24.

According to Philippines News Agency, each farmer beneficiary, tilling rice farms two hectares and below, received PHP7,000 financial assistance aimed at increasing their rice production. The second batch of 6,222 beneficiaries will also receive financial assistance in the coming months. Guanco stated that farmers who are beneficiaries of the RCEF-RFFA are those registered with the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture.

Guanco further encouraged beneficiaries to use the financial assistance to purchase rice seeds, fertilizers, and insecticides, and to pay laborers for the first cropping season. The RCEF-RFFA funds are deposited through the Development Bank of the Philippines, which collaborates with USSC as its partner.

Other farmer-beneficiaries without an IMC can claim their assistance directly at the Universal Storefront Services Corporation (USSC) branches in the municipalities of Culasi and San Jose de Buenavista.