An estimated 2.3 million small rice farmers are set to receive ₱5,000 cash assistance from the national government that will help them increase and sustain their productivity ahead of the El Niño phenomenon, according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).

In a press release issued on Sept. 29, PCO said the cash assistance would be sourced from the ₱12.7 billion funds that was ordered and approved by President and Agriculture Secretary Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. for the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA).

“[This would] help them cope with the increasing cost of production and sustain their productivity even in the face of challenges like the coming El Niño [phenomenon],” Marcos said as quoted by the PCO.

The communications agency said Marcos also approved the release of ₱700 million in excess tariff collections under the Household Crop Diversification Program.

With this, 78,000 beneficiaries are also expected to receive ₱10,000 Palayamanan Plus conditional cash transfer.

The PCO said the two financial assistance packages support the Masagana Rice Industry Development Programs (MRIDP) of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

The exact period of cash distribution was yet to be disclosed, as of this posting.