Cash Assistance for Filipino Farmers Act

Case Overview and Summary

Title: Cash Assistance for Filipino Farmers Act

Declaration of Policy (Section 2):
- The State recognizes the urgency of intervening for small farmers due to declining palay prices and the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The State shall provide monetary assistance in the form of cash to the hardest-hit small farmers.

Authorization (Section 3):
- The Department of Agriculture (DA) is authorized to use the annual tariff revenues in excess of Ten billion pesos (P10B) from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) to provide direct cash assistance to farmers tilling two (2) hectares and below of rice land until 2024.
- The Bureau of Customs (BOC) shall directly remit the excess funds to the DA.
- The BOC and DA shall submit separate annual reports to Congress on the remittance and disbursement of funds.

Funding (Section 4):
- The source of funds for the annual direct cash assistance shall be the excess of Ten billion pesos (P10B) of the annual tariff revenues from rice importation under Republic Act No. 11203.

Separability Clause (Section 5):
- If any provision is declared unconstitutional, the other provisions shall remain in force.

Repealing Clause (Section 6):
- Any law, decree, order, or regulation inconsistent with this Act is repealed or modified accordingly.

Effectivity (Section 7):
- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.