DSWD pours P884.7M in aid to sugarcane farmers, laborers in Negros

BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has released P884,778,900 under its disaster assistance program to support sugarcane farmers and laborers affected by red-striped soft-scale insect (RSSI) pest infestations in Negros Island.

The amount released was as of Monday, Nov. 2.

The Negros-wide financial relief distribution has reached 86,092 beneficiaries comprising 64,042 farmers and 22,050 agricultural laborers to help mitigate losses caused by pest damage to sugarcane crops, DSWD Negros Island Region Director Arwin Razo said on Wednesday.

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READ: DSWD releases P410.3M to RSSI-hit sugarcane farmers in Negros

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Negros Occidental received the largest share of the disaster aid funding, totaling P647,036,775 for 62,667 beneficiaries, of whom 47,940 are farmers and 14,727 laborers.

READ: Sugarcane pest attack widens; Negros worst hit

The amounts released in Negros Occidental were P23,726,850 in District 1 for 2,298 farmers, P59,028,025 in District 2 for 5,717 farmers, P97,901,650 in District 3 for 7,101 farmers and 2,381 laborers, P23,530,675 in District 4 for 2,279 farmers, P277,401,775 in District 5 for 15,491 farmers and 11,376 laborers, and P165,447,800 in District 6 for 15,054 farmers and 970 laborers.

Bacolod City received P29,116,500 in assistance for 1,232 farmers and 1,588 laborers.

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In Negros Oriental, the program disbursed P208,625,625 to 20,605 total beneficiaries, consisting of 14,870 farmers and 5,735 farm laborers.

In Negros Oriental’s District 1, P101,452,500 were released for 5,594 farmers and 4,426 laborers, P80,048,250 in District 2 for 6,597 farmers and 1,309 laborers, and P27,124,875 in District 3 for 2,679 farmers.

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The DSWD continues to coordinate localized payouts across remaining covered areas in the region to provide immediate economic support to vulnerable sugarcane sector workers, Razo said. /cb