TIMELY INTERVENTION. Dinagat Islands Governor Nilo Demerey Jr. (left) leads the distribution of financial assistance to 316 farmers and fisherfolk in an activity conducted in Cagdianao town on Monday (Aug. 5, 2024). Some PHP3.1 million in aid through the Presidential Assistance to Farmers, Fisherfolk, and Families program was released during the event. (Photo courtesy of Dinagat Governor’s Office)
BUTUAN CITY – Over 300 farmers and fisherfolk in the Dinagat Islands have commended President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for the support they received through the Presidential Assistance to Farmers, Fisherfolk, and Families (PAFF) program.
On Monday, the beneficiaries gathered to receive their PAFF financial aid in a distribution activity spearheaded by Governor Nilo Demerey Jr. in Cagdianao town.
“This will not only provide food for my family but also sustain my vegetable crops, which were partially damaged during the drought early this year,” Damian, a vegetable farmer from Cagdianao who asked to be identified only by his first name, said in a phone interview.
Damian is among the farmers and fisherfolk who received PHP3.1 million in PAFF cash aid.
"I was still able to sell a portion of my farm products but decreased production also affected my income,” Damian said, adding he would also utilize the PAFF's assistance to buy additional vegetable seeds and fertilizers.
The PAFF program aims to mitigate the effects of the prolonged dry spell caused by El Niño and provide much-needed relief to farmers and fishers whose livelihoods have been severely affected by the climatic phenomenon.
Marcos personally handed the assistance to Demerey during the presidential visit to this city in June this year.
“I am thankful to the President for his swift response in assisting the farmers and fishers of Dinagat and for showing his commitment to alleviating the plight of those most affected by natural disasters,” the governor said in a statement. (PNA)
