DA allots P500 million fuel subsidy for fishers, farmers

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has allocated P500 million to provide fuel subsidies for fishers and farmers amid the unabated increase in the retail prices of petroleum products.

“We have allocated almost P500 million for our farmers who own machinery and for our fisherfolk. They can receive P3,000 each. It is a one-time assistance to cushion the impact of the spike of oil prices,” DA spokesman Arnel de Mesa said.

De Mesa said farmers who have machinery registered under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture can avail themselves of the fuel subsidy.

“For fisherfolk, their boats should not exceed three metric tons,” he added.

According to De Mesa, the DA is now finalizing the guidelines and will release fuel assistance to farmers and fishers in the next days.

The prices of diesel will increase by P0.80 to P1 per liter while kerosene prices will increase by P0.85 to P1 per liter tomorrow, according to the Department of Energy.

Last Tuesday, oil firms raised pump prices by P1.10 per liter for gasoline, P1.55 for diesel and P1.40 for kerosene.