OVER 2,000 farmers from San Miguel, Leyte were given cash aid by the Farmers Assistance for Recovery and Modernization (FARM) program led by the office of Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Tingog party-list Representatives Yedda Marie Romualdez and Jude Acidre.

A total of 2,044 farmers received P5,000 in financial aid under the FARM program which was facilitated by the Department of Social Welfare and Development and was sourced from its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations funds totaling over P10 million.

The farm aid was distributed at the San Miguel Municipal Gymnasium in the presence of town mayor Norman Sabdao and town councilor Leticia Asis Espos.

The program is an initiative of the Office of the Speaker which is designed to lower the price of rice by utilizing and maximizing existing government interventions available to farmers.

Romualdez said that the FARM program is part of the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to reach sectors, especially the marginalized ones.

"Alam ng inyong pamahalaan ang hirap na inyong hinaharap, lalo na ngayong panahon ng El Niño kung saan apektado ang lahat ng pananim (Your government knows the hardship you have been facing, more so during El Niño where most of your crops are affected)," said Romualdez.

"Kaya nawa'y maibsan ng ayudang ito ang inyong paghihirap at makabangon sa mga sususunod na panahon (I hope this aid will relieve of your hardship and enable you to recover in the coming days)," added Romualdez.

Romualdez stressed that the program aims to "reciprocate the heroism" of farmers in helping millions of Filipino families put food on their table.

"Para kay Pangulong Marcos Jr., mahalaga po ang bawat Filipino at kasama kayong lahat doon (For President Marcos Jr, every Filipino is important and that includes you)," Romualdez said.