By Connie Calipay

LEGAZPI CITY – Albay 3rd District Rep. Raymond Adrian Salceda is pushing for the expansion of the rice farmer financial assistance (RFFA) program to include all rice farmers, regardless of farm size.

He also proposed providing a second tranche of PHP5,000 to small farm holders who have received aid.

In a statement, Salceda, chair of the House Special Committee on Food Security, said the proposal would utilize the PHP2 billion in excess rice tariff revenues available under the Special Provision No. 9 of the 2025 General Appropriations Act.

It could be supplemented with an estimated PHP7 to PHP8 billion in undisbursed RFFA funds from prior years, enabling the government to implement universal coverage without requiring new appropriations.

Currently, only farmers tilling up to two hectares receive PHP5,000 under the RFFA.

“Everyone is a farmer, regardless of the size of their land. All have felt the impact of low rice tariffs and will be affected by typhoons and monsoon rains. Therefore, I believe it is fair to support everyone,” he said.

The Salceda Research, the policy think tank chaired by former House Ways and Means chair Joey Salceda, estimates that PHP5,000 invested in fertilizer can purchase about 208 kilograms of urea, which contains 96 kilograms of nitrogen.

This amount can generate approximately 1,152 kilograms of additional palay per farmer under typical conditions.

If this assistance is applied to the 281,400 farmers planting more than two hectares—who would receive aid for the first time—and the 2.12 million small farmholders who would benefit from a second tranche, the total additional output could reach 2.76 million metric tons of palay in a single season.

This figure is equivalent to around 1.71 million metric tons of rice, which represents more than 40 percent of the country’s annual imports of 3.9 to 4 million metric tons.

At a farmgate price of PHP20 per kilogram, this increased output would be valued at approximately PHP55.3 billion, yielding a return of 4.6 times the combined program cost of PHP12 billion.

“If we act now, larger farms can enhance their planting, and small farms can optimize their input use with the second tranche. This presents a quick, high-return investment in our food security,” Salceda said.

He added that his office would submit the proposed joint guidelines from the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Finance to expedite disbursement. (PNA)

Published Date: August 11, 2025