The Commission on Human Rights has expressed its full support to Senate Bill No. 2100 which would provide small-scale farmers and fisherfolk with direct cash assistance to mitigate the negative impacts of the coronavirus disease 2019 on their livelihoods.
Sadly, De Guia said, workers in the agricultural sector incur massive losses in sales in the midst of the pandemic because of spoilage and reduced sale prices. “Apart from facing risks every day as they leave their homes either to fish, to farm, or to find markets for their products, small-scale food producers, such as farmers and fisherfolks, experience the economic burden of the pandemic,” she added.
“They are our frontliners in ensuring food security in the country. Hence, they must also be given equal protection and priority in the COVID-19 vaccination program,” she added.