Agriculture Secretary William Dar (Photo courtesy ofDA Comms Group) MANILA - It was the turn of Agusan del Sur farmers to benefit from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund-Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RCEF-RFFA) Program. On Tuesday, Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar kicked off the distribution of PHP5,000 unconditional cash grant to 1,844 rice farmers in the Caraga Region province. The beneficiaries equally shared the PHP9.22 million from the RFFA, sourced from the excess tariff collected from imported rice as mandated by the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL). The region will receive a P225.40 million cash grant under RFFA, Dar said. RFFA, with a total fund of PHP7.6 billion, supports rice farmers tilling two hectares and below and are in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture. "The program is one of the many positive outcomes of the Rice Tariffication Law," Dar said during the event. The DA previously said with the RCEF and the National Integrated Rice Program, farmers enjoy higher yield and lower production costs while consumers benefit from adequate and affordable rice. Prior to RTL, consumers paid double compared to neighboring countries for a kilo of rice, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). "That is almost 25 years. That is how long Filipinos have been overcharged for rice and how long we have kept the rice sector from growing," NEDA Director General and Secretary of Socioeconomic Planning Karl Chua earlier said. "Gone are the days when the Philippine rice trade is under the control of just a few importers who were granted the import permits. Rice now abounds in the retail markets at more competitive price levels. More than price benefits, the RTL has expanded the availability of different rice types and varieties in the local market, providing consumers a wider range of choices, depending on their budget and quality preference," Chua added. NEDA also estimated that the RTL, by 2025, would reduce the proportion of malnourished children and the population at risk of hunger in the country by 2.8 percent and 15.4 percent, respectively. "This is equivalent to around 2.1 million less people at risk of hunger and malnutrition," the agency said. (PNA) }