The Negros Occidental Department of Social Services and Development is preparing prepositioned food assistance and is waiting for the guidelines for the release of financial aid to farmers whose crops have been affected by the ongoing drought.
Damage to rice and corn crops has reached P87,477,548 affecting 2,220 farmers in 15 towns and cities in Negros Occidental.
The final list of affected farmers is being prepared, Chiqui Gonzales, provincial social welfare officer, said on Tuesday, March 19.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson earlier said that about P2,000 in assistance may be given to affected farmers.
Gonzales said she does not know how much the financial assistance will be but hopefully it will be the same as what was granted to hog raisers whose pigs died from various diseases last year.
“We are polishing the guidelines for the distribution and identifying the sources of funds,” Gonzales said.
The DSSD has food assistance available for disaster related activities, she said. Each food pack contains five kilos of rice and canned goods, she said.
Meanwhile, the DSSD is continuing to distribute the P2,000 assistance to each of about 5,000 identified hog raisers, she said.
Many have already received their assistance, she said.
Gonzales said hopefully they can distribute financial assistance of about 900 more hog raisers from Ilog, Kabankalan City, Talisay City, Silay City, San Enrique and Valladolid next week.*