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New LANDBANK Lending Centers to serve more small farmers, fishers in Mindanao


December 15, 2020

(left photo) LANDBANK Davao del Sur Lending Center Concurrent Head Vice President Jose Enedicto G. Faune (left), leads the soft opening of the LANDBANK Sultan Kudarat Lending Center last October 15, 2020, while (right photo) LANDBANK Mindanao Lending Group Head Senior Vice President Charlotte I. Conde (center) leads the soft opening of the LANDBANK Davao del Sur Lending Center last November 16, 2020.

State-run Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) opened two new lending centers in the provinces of Sultan Kudarat and Davao del Sur as part of its thrust to expand its reach and intensify support to the agriculture sector in Mindanao.

The new lending centers will provide accessible financial services and affordable credit assistance to clients in the area, notably local government units (LGUs), small and medium enterprises (SMEs), agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs), and small farmers and fishers for agriculture production, equipment acquisition, and working capital.

“The establishment of LANDBANK Lending Centers in the provinces of Sultan Kudarat and Davao del Sur is a testament to LANDBANK’s continued commitment to support inclusive economic growth in Mindanao. This would also help us to reach more of our priority sectors—the small farmers and fishers who need our services the most,” said LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo.

LANDBANK Department Manager Harold P. Celestial led the soft opening of the LANDBANK Sultan Kudarat Lending Center last October 15, 2020, joined by LANDBANK Davao Lending Center Head and Davao del Sur Lending Center Concurrent Head Vice President Jose Enedicto G. Faune who was representing LANDBANK Mindanao Lending Group Head Senior Vice President Charlotte I. Conde, and LANDBANK South Cotabato Lending Center Head Lilibeth D. Alvarez.

The Province of Sultan Kudarat predominantly has an agricultural economy, and is known for producing crops such as rice, corn, coconuts, coffee, bananas, mangoes, durians, and African palms. It is also home to a few producers of Irish potatoes in the Philippines. Likewise, the largest grains-processing complex in the country can be found in the province’s commercial center in Tacurong City.

Temporarily located in Koronadal City, the LANDBANK Sultan Kudarat Lending Center will service almost 17,000 small farmers and fishers in the province engaged in crop production, trading, and fishing.

Meanwhile, Davao del Sur is one of the fastest growing provinces in Mindanao driven by the proliferation of agricultural businesses. With vast agricultural lands full of fertile soil and enriched by favorable climate, agriculture is the main source of livelihood in the province with farmers producing mainly coconut, rice, corn, bananas, cacao, coffee, fruits and vegetables.

The LANDBANK Davao del Sur Lending Center, located in Digos City, will provide various lending programs catered to more than 5,000 small farmers and fishers covering the provinces of Davao del Sur and Davao Occidental.

Senior Vice President Conde led the soft opening of the LANDBANK Davao del Sur Lending Center last November 16, 2020 together with LANDBANK Digos Branch Head Department Manager Rolando V. Araojo, Jr. and Vice President Faune.

As of end-November 2020, LANDBANK has a network of 53 Lending Centers in strategic areas nationwide, with the Sultan Kudarat Lending Center and the Davao del Sur Lending Center as the 14th and 15th LANDBANK Lending Centers in Mindanao, respectively. This is complemented by the Bank’s 414 branches and extension offices across all 81 provinces in the country.


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