THE Department of Agriculture (DA) will provide cash assistance to farmers and fisherfolk nationwide through the Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fisherfolk Program (PAFFP) amid the US-Iran war.
The P10-billion program aims to provide P2,325 in unconditional cash assistance to eligible rice, corn, and sugarcane farmers and fisherfolk to mitigate increasing production costs and protect their productive capacity amid geopolitical unrest.
On Wednesday, the DA released Memorandum Circular 11, Series of 2026, signed by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., detailing the implementing guidelines for the PAFFP.
To be eligible for the program, rice farmers must be actively engaged in rice cultivation, till no more than 2 hectares of land and be registered under the DA’s Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA).
Corn and sugarcane farmers must be actively engaged in cultivating corn or sugarcane and must be registered under the RSBSA.
Fisherfolk must be registered under the RSBSA, and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ Boat Registration, and must actively engage in fishing operations.
According to the DA, geopolitical developments in the Middle East have caused volatility in global markets, resulting in higher prices for fuel, fertilizer, transportation and other agricultural production inputs. It noted that these rising costs directly affect domestic agriculture and fisheries, threatening the sustainability of agricultural production, the income stability of farmers and fisherfolk, and the country’s food security.
”By extending timely and targeted financial relief, the PAFFP seeks to alleviate the impact of these developments on farm and fisheries production, strengthen farmers’ and fisherfolk’s resilience, and sustain local agricultural and fisheries production in the face of market volatility and rising production costs,” the DA said.
The cash assistance will be distributed through the DA’s Interventions Monitoring Cards, which registered farmers and fisherfolk can use for identification, cash withdrawal, and purchasing goods and services via automated teller machines and online banking.
The agency said the DA Field Operations Service will implement the program in coordination with DA regional field offices, concerned DA bureaus and attached agencies, local government units and other relevant government agencies.
It added that implementation will begin immediately after the Notice of Cash Allocation by the Department of Budget and Management has been granted.
The program will run within the fund’s validity period, as prescribed by the 2026 General Appropriations Act. This may be extended as necessary, subject to deliberations by the DA Field Operations Service.
