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MANILA, Philippines — A total of 2,044 farmers in San Miguel, Leyte, received cash aid amounting to P10 million from the government’s Farmers’ Assistance for Recovery and Modernization (FARM) Program, House Speaker Martin Romualdez announced in a statement on Saturday.
Each farmer received P5,000 in a ceremony at the San Miguel Municipal Gymnasium on Friday.
Romualdez said the funds were sourced from the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
“The government is aware of the hardships you are facing, especially during this time of El Niño when all crops are affected. May this assistance alleviate your suffering and help you recover in the coming days,” Romualdez said in Filipino.
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The FARM program was designed to “lower the price of rice” by utilizing and maximizing current government interventions available to farmers.
It also aims to assist the National Food Authority in accomplishing its mandate to increase its buffer stock, which can be used in case of emergency, as the farmer-beneficiaries were encouraged to sell at least 100 kilograms of their rice harvest to the government.
“We established this program so the government can reciprocate your heroism in helping millions of Filipino families put food on the table. For President [Ferdinand] Marcos Jr., it’s very important for each Filipino is important and that includes all of you,” Romualdez said.