MANILA - Some 591,000 rice farmers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic may avail of P5,000 cash aid from government, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said Thursday.

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As of Wednesday, 22 percent of qualified rice farmers who till one hectare and below in 34 provinces have availed of the financial assistance, according to Dar.

"Nabinbin yung paggagawa ng cards kasi may limitasyon din. Ang usapan po namin early last week ay over-the-counter scheme na... sa Landbank branches all over the country," he told radio DZMM.

(The production of the cards were delayed because it has limitations. What we discussed last week is we'll do it over the counter in Landbank branches all over the country.)

Farmers excluded from the agency's list of beneficiaries may approach their local governments which would then include them in the social welfare department's cash assistance program, Dar said.

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"Tutulungan ang mga farmers natin dyan sa local government units na magpatala sila. Sila ang gagawa ng listahan at ibibigay sa DSWD provincial directors," he said.

(Local governments will help our farmers list their names, which will then be forwarded to DSWD provincial directors.)