Thousands of corn farmers in Cagayan province affected by a prolonged dry spell have received government cash assistance, with payouts rolled out across multiple clustered centers on Friday, May 22. The distribution covered farmers from 22 towns and one city, all of whom were impacted by significant agricultural losses due to drought conditions.
According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), a total of 31,782 corn farmers were provided financial aid amounting to P321.8 million, with each beneficiary receiving P10,125. The payouts were conducted in five designated cluster centers across the province to streamline the release of assistance and ensure wider coverage.
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Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian personally visited the payout sites to oversee the distribution and coordinate with local officials. Speaking to reporters during an on-site interview, he said the initiative was carried out under the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to accelerate aid delivery for farmers severely affected by the dry spell.
“We have wanted these farmers to rise from their losses due to the drought. We ask our farmers to coordinate with their local government units to have helping hands as they will continue for their livelihood,” he said before 1,506 beneficiaries at the People’s Gymnasium payout on Friday.
Later in the day, Gatchalian also engaged with 2,199 recipients at the Capitol Gymnasium, continuing the monitoring of distribution efforts across different venues.
He also stressed that safeguards were in place to ensure proper validation of beneficiaries.
“We have a system to vet the lists. We see to it that there are no duplications,” he said.
Clustered Payouts Across Affected Towns
Alongside the main distribution sites in Tuguegarao City, the DSWD also conducted clustered payouts in several municipalities, including Baggao with 1,049 beneficiaries, Abulug with 1,054 recipients, and Aparri with 989 recipients. These were part of broader efforts to reach farmers from drought-stricken agricultural areas across the province.
The emergency assistance followed the declaration of a state of calamity by the Cagayan provincial government after initial corn farm losses were estimated to reach P2 billion. The declaration enabled faster mobilization of financial support and government interventions for affected communities.
“This is the government response due to the severe effects of drought on the agriculture sector, particularly on corn production,” Gatchalian said, noting that the calamity declaration played a key role in expediting the release of aid.
He also clarified that beneficiaries were selected based on official documentation submitted by local agriculture offices and transport groups, rejecting claims that recipients were politically chosen.
For many Filipino farmers, especially in drought-prone provinces like Cagayan, timely government assistance can mean the difference between recovery and prolonged financial hardship. Programs like this not only provide immediate relief but also help stabilize local food production, which directly affects food supply and prices across the country.
