DSWD distributes nearly P678M aid to Negros sugar workers hit by pest crisis

BACOLOD CITY — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has completed the disbursement of P677.8 million in emergency aid to more than 66,000 small-scale sugarcane farmers and agricultural laborers across the Negros Island Region, according to DSWD-NIR Regional Director Arwin Razo.

The financial assistance was provided to beneficiaries affected by the red-striped soft scale insect infestation, which has caused significant losses to the region's vital sugar industry. The DSWD mobilized its disaster response operations to address the agricultural crisis affecting farming communities across the island.

The relief program underscores government efforts to cushion the economic impact on vulnerable agricultural workers and small farmers dependent on sugarcane production. The Negros Island Region, a major sugarcane-producing area in the Philippines, has been grappling with the pest outbreak that threatened household incomes and food security for thousands of farming families.

The DSWD's Disaster Response Operations coordinated the distribution of assistance to ensure timely support reached affected communities across the region.