DA continues giving fuel subsidy to farmers in Surigao Sur
By Nida Grace P. Barcena
TANDAG CITY (PIA) — To boost food security and agricultural productivity in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s national agenda, the Department of Agriculture (DA) Caraga continues its Fuel Subsidy Card Distribution Caravan.
This program provides direct financial assistance to farmers to help cushion the impact of rising fuel prices and ensure the continuity of agricultural operations.
From Oct. 13 to 14, over 1,800 farmers from Madrid town, and about 600 farmers in Bislig City, all in the province of Surigao del Sur, received their fuel subsidy cards, each loaded with P3,000.
The subsidy can be used to purchase fuel for agricultural machinery such as tractors, hand tractors, water pumps, and other farm equipment, underscoring the government’s continuing commitment to empowering rural communities.
The initiative is part of DA’s Fuel Discount Program, a national intervention initiative aimed at helping registered farmers under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) to cope with the high cost of fuel, ensuring that farming operations remain continuous and productive despite global fuel price fluctuations.
One of the beneficiaries, Maricel Gelay, a rice farmer from Bislig City, expressed her gratitude for the assistance. “Nalipay ko nga apil kos nakadawat kay dako ni og tabang aron dili mi madak-an sa krudo. Ang P3,000 dako nani og abtan sa among basakan para sa sunod ting tanom.”
(I’m glad to be among the beneficiaries of the program because this is a big help for us not to be burdened by fuel expenses. The P3,000 assistance will go a long way in our rice fields for the next planting season).”
According to the DA, the fuel subsidy program is aligned with the Marcos administration’s “Bagong Pilipinas” vision, promoting inclusive agricultural growth, mechanization, and resilience among farmers, key elements of the Food Security and Poverty Reduction agenda under the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028.
It also reported that the fuel subsidy caravan is scheduled in Butuan City, Buenavista, and Nasipit, Agusan del Norte, reaching more qualified farmer-beneficiaries across the region.
Through sustained collaboration between the DA, local government units, and the private fuel sector, the program seeks to ease farmers’ production costs, boost local food supply, and reinforce the country’s path toward a sustainable and self-sufficient agriculture sector. (NGPB, PIA Surigao del Sur)
