Sugarcane farmers and plantation workers in Capiz affected by the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation are beginning to receive emergency financial assistance, with more than P105 million allocated for the first batch of payouts.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) started distributing the Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) assistance in Pilar, Capiz, on Tuesday, Sept. 29, led by DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian.
More Than 10,000 Beneficiaries Covered in First Batch
Each qualified beneficiary is receiving P10,325 under the initial round of assistance, which amounts to P105,253,050 in total. The first batch covers 10,194 beneficiaries from Pilar, President Roxas, Dao, and Ma-ayon, with payouts scheduled from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1.
A total of 5,229 beneficiaries received their assistance on Sept. 29. This included 2,000 beneficiaries from Pilar, 2,914 from President Roxas, and 315 from Dao.
Another 2,055 beneficiaries in Pilar received the ECT assistance on Sept. 30, while 2,910 beneficiaries in Ma-ayon are scheduled to receive their payouts on Oct. 1.
Gatchalian said the assistance is intended to provide support to sugarcane workers affected by the infestation, particularly as their livelihoods come under pressure.
“The president wants us to help our sugarcane farmers because they need it the most now. They help us in our economy, and we should also help them now that they are in need,” Gatchalian said.
Beyond the first batch, the DSWD has allocated more than P170 million in assistance for about 17,000 farmers and plantation workers in Capiz affected by the RSSI infestation.
Aid Expansion Being Processed as Infestation Continues
The agency said additional ECT assistance for other affected towns in Capiz and Iloilo remains under processing, indicating that the response could extend beyond the municipalities included in the first round.
Gatchalian also said the DSWD will continue tracking the situation and is prepared to provide further assistance if the infestation expands.
“We will continue monitoring. We are ready that if this problem spreads, we will keep on coming back to assist,” added Gatchalian.
The scale of the agricultural impact prompted the declaration of a state of calamity in Capiz on Aug. 10. At that time, the RSSI infestation had affected at least 3,331.61 hectares of sugarcane plantations.
The emergency cash transfers provide immediate financial support to farming communities dealing with an agricultural disruption that can affect household income beyond the plantations themselves. As Capiz works through the infestation, the response will matter not only to the affected farmers and plantation workers but also to the local economy that depends on sugarcane production and the livelihoods it supports.
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