00:00 The Pinsala sa Agrikultura of El Nino has reached more than 2 billion pesos
00:06 so they are appealing for help from their farmers.
00:09 Aside from the aid, the Labor Department is also cooperating
00:13 with the Department of Agriculture to find them other jobs.
00:17 This is Bernadette Reyes.
00:19 Give us our money back!
00:23 Aid and compensation!
00:25 Give us our money back!
00:28 The groups of farmers are calling on the National Food Authority and the Department of Agriculture
00:33 to give the aging or old rice stocks that are in the NFA warehouses.
00:39 Instead of selling it for 25 pesos, we are still earning from the traders
00:45 because the money that the NFA used to buy rice
00:51 came from the country's budget
00:53 so it's only reasonable to give it away for free.
00:56 The NFA Council meeting will be held on April 11
00:59 to discuss what to do with the rice so it won't be wasted.
01:04 But the NFA's power is not a joke
01:07 to sell the rice even if it's in their warehouse.
01:11 The NFA only buys rice stocks. We cannot do that.
01:16 We have a lot of rules that will break.
01:18 We can do a lot so it won't be wasted.
01:23 According to the DA, the government has programs
01:25 to help farmers affected by El Niño.
01:28 These include financial assistance, insurance claims, and loans.
01:32 It's the farmer's option to take or not to take.
01:36 But it's available in case they need to take additional loans.
01:41 We have distributed 1.08 billion pesos.
01:46 Aside from loans and insurance claims,
01:48 the Department of Agriculture will also distribute rice and rice stocks.
01:52 But according to the group of farmers,
01:55 the assistance they receive is not enough.
01:58 Not insurance, not loans.
02:01 Farmers should be the first to take loans.
02:04 In times of calamity, farmers need assistance, not loans.
02:10 A major issue is water.
02:13 So we're actually going to go because of El Niño.
02:17 We're also discussing a possible collaboration with DOLE
02:26 to help those affected by the program.
02:33 According to the DA,
02:35 the government has distributed 2.34 billion pesos
02:38 to the Department of Agriculture.
02:40 1.7 billion pesos to rice,
02:42 591 million pesos to rice,
02:44 and 326 million pesos to high-value crops.
02:47 The rest is to poultry and livestock.
02:50 For GMA Integrated News,
02:52 Bernadette Reyes,
02:54 Tutok Tlilip, 24 Hours.
02:57 (music)
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