The National Tobacco Administration will release P100 million emergency cash assistance to tobacco farmers affected by two-day freak rains in late January.
According to Administrator/CEO Robert Victor G. Seares Jr., Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar has approved NTA’s request for P50 million funding to assist affected farmers during the NTA Board Meeting on February 24 in Candon City.
This is to supplement the P50 million provided last year by the Office of Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go for the Emergency Cash Assistance Program of the agency.
He said that the agency requested the fund from the Senator, which is already included in the General Appropriations Act of CY 2022 as stand-by emergency cash assistance for tobacco growers.
“Thanks to Senator Bong Go’s timely support, the agency now has available cash assistance to our farmers affected by the freak rain last January,” he added.
The administrator added that with the extensive damage, the agency needs additional fund to assist all the affected farmers as listed during the damage assessment conducted by the Branch Offices. “We are also very grateful to Secretary Dar, for acting favorably on our requests for funding to supplement the P50 million NTA ECA Fund,” Administrator Seares said.
The Office of the Deputy Administrator for Operations has reported crop damages worth P505 million in 5,304 hectares of tobacco farms in major tobacco-growing provinces, with about 15,300 farmers still suffering from the impact.
The Administrator explained that the assistance will be given to the farmers as soon as the funds and the implementing guidelines are released, assuring farmers of the agency’s absolute commitment to helping and supporting them in their farming endeavor.
[Kathleen Bulquerin / Photo: Arman Anga-angan]