The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is targeting an initial P113.5 million in emergency cash transfers for over 11,000 farmers whose farms were affected by the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation across the Negros Island Region (NIR).
Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian led the rollout of a P10.56 million payout to affected farmers in Talisay City and San Carlos City, Negros Occidental on Wednesday.
Gatchalian said he was dispatched to the province under the direct orders of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to fast-track distribution of aid to sugarcane farmers suffering RSSI crop losses.
‘President Marcos is well aware of the RSSI problem and wants the cash assistance in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental to start immediately,’ Gatchalian said.
‘The moment we receive the validated list of farmers from each local government unit, we will schedule more distributions, ‘ he said.
During the launch at the Talisay City Public Market, P6.26 million was distributed to 607 farmers in Talisay City at P10,325 each.
In San Carlos City, P4.29 million was allocated for 416 beneficiaries.
The assistance covers smallholder farmers cultivating five hectares or less.
Beneficiaries are identified using validated lists provided by LGUs and the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), Gatchalian said.
According to an SRA report as of July 17, the invasive sap-sucking pest has infested 61,382 hectares across 335 barangays in Negros Occidental.
Ground validation and field monitoring remain ongoing throughout the region.
Gatchalian emphasized that while the Department of Agriculture (DA) focuses on technical interventions to contain the pest, the DSWD is stepping in to protect farming families from falling into poverty.
‘Whenever the people’s livelihoods are affected, it becomes a social welfare issue,’
Gatchalian noted: ‘When there is no profit and no work, poverty and hunger set in. Our intervention provides social protection to ensure families don’t sink deeper into hardship.’
‘All affected farmers will be assisted by the DSWD. We will keep monitoring to see if we need to return for additional help,’ he added.
Accompanying Gatchalian during the payout at the new Talisay City Public Market were Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, Talisay Mayor Rowena Lizares, and Rep. Mercedes Alvarez.
Lacson expressed gratitude to the national government for responding promptly to the crisis.
We are thankful that the national government recognizes the challenges being faced by our sugar farmers, especially the agrarian reform beneficiaries suffering from RSSI,’ Lacson said.