Qualified farmers and fishers will also receive social amelioration program (SAP) cash aide from the government during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), on top of the one-time COVID-19 cash assistance being distributed by the Department of Agriculture. Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar clarified that the DA, under the Financial Subsidy for Rice Farmers (FSRF), will continue to distribute ₱5,000 each to rice farmers, who till one hectare and below and are listed in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA). “We do not want to discriminate other farmers, and also fishers, from the financial assistance being given by the government to the marginalized sector of our society. It just so happened that the fund and implementing guidelines of the FSRF has already been finalized and approved early this year, even before the COVID-19 pandemic,” Dar said.

Miraflor, M. B. (2020, April 25). Farmers, fishermen to get SAP. Manila Bulletin, p. B-2.