President Marcos to Provide Aid to Over 7,000 El Niño-Impacted Farmers and Fisherfolk in Antique

Antique — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will distribute financial assistance to 7,067 farmers and fisherfolk in Antique who have been severely affected by the El Niño phenomenon during his visit to the province on Thursday.

According to Philippines News Agency, the aid is part of the Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fisher Folks (PAFF), funded through the Office of the President to support the livelihoods of those impacted by adverse weather conditions. Each affected individual will receive PHP 10,000. De Vera detailed this financial support during a media briefing on Wednesday.

In addition to the financial aid, the beneficiaries will also receive 10 kilos of rice each, provided by House of Representatives Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Antique Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao. A ceremonial turnover of assistance will also extend to other provinces in the Western Visayas region, including Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, and Guimaras, benefitting a total of 61,171 individuals across the region.

Antique was the first province in Western Visayas to declare a state of calamity due to the effects of El Niño. President Marcos’s upcoming visit marks his third trip to the province, following previous visits to assess the aftermath of Severe Tropical Storm Paeng and to distribute rice assistance.