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SURE Aid Program of DA and LANDBANK reaches palay farmers in Bulacan


November 12, 2019

(Left photo) Rice Farmers from the province of Bulacan show their SURE Aid cash cards which contain P15,000 cash assistance from the Department of Agriculture and Land Bank of the Philippines. With them are (top row from left to right) LANDBANK Agricultural and Development Lending Sector Head Executive Vice President Liduvino S. Geron, DA Region 3 Chief Operations Officer Benjamin A. Baltazar, Bulacan Governor Daniel R. Fernando, LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo, Guiguinto Mayor Ambrosio C. Cruz, Bulacan Board Members Romeo V. Castro and Bernardo B. Ople, Jr., and Provincial Agriculturist Ma. Gloria SF. Carrillo. (Right photo) Governor Fernando and President Borromeo assist one of the SURE Aid beneficiaries in cashing out the grant at a LANDBANK mobile atm on site.

MALOLOS CITY, Bulacan – The Department of Agriculture (DA) and Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) once again partnered for the distribution of the Expanded Survival and Recovery Assistance Program (SURE Aid) Cash Cards to almost 800 palay farmers in the Province of Bulacan last November 7, 2019 at the Pavilion Hiyas ng Bulacan Convention Center.

Bulacan Governor Daniel R. Fernando and LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo led the launch together with Board Members Romeo V. Castro, Jr. and Bernardo B. Ople, Jr., Guiguinto Mayor Ambrosio C. Cruz, DA Region 3 Chief Operations Officer Benjamin A. Baltazar, Provincial Agriculturist Ma. Gloria SF. Carrillio, and LANDBANK Agricultural and Development Lending Sector Head Executive Vice President Liduvino S. Geron.

The SURE Aid Program is the government’s initial relief response to palay farmers who are tilling one hectare of land and below, and are affected by the drop in the farm gate price of palay this year. From the initial allocation of P1.5 billion, the Program’s fund is now at P2.5 billion, to be given as loan assistance to rice farmers nationwide either directly or through DA-accredited service conduits.

“Ang pagsasaka ay pundasyon ng sambayanan kaya ang pagbibigay suporta sa mga magsasaka ay tahasang nagpapatatag sa haligi ng ating lipunan,” said Governor Fernando.

During the event, LANDBANK distributed pre-loaded LANDBANK SURE Aid Cash Cards containing the P15,000 loan assistance to all qualified farmers from 20 cities and municipalities in Bulacan. The one-time, zero-interest, no collateral loan is payable up to eight years.

“Makakaasa po kayo na patuloy na pinalalakas ng LANDBANK ang suporta para sa inyo. Sa pakikipagtulungan sa DA, DAR, sa lokal na pamahalaan ng Bulacan, at iba pang mga ahensiya ng pamahalaan, sama-sama po nating isulong ang kapakanan ng bawat magsasaka dito sa Bulacan at sa buong bansa,” said President Borromeo.

To complement this effort, LANDBANK has recently launched the “PAlay aLAY sa Magsasaka ng Lalawigan" (PALAY ng Lalawigan) Program which will lend to Provincial/City/Municipal governments of rice-producing provinces to help them procure palay produced by local farmers. The Program also aims to supplement the procurement activities that will be undertaken by the National Food Authority.

The Bank has initially earmarked P10 billion to fund the Program. Eligible LGUs may avail of working capital loans for the procurement of palay at 2% per annum. The Bank shall also extend term loan for the acquisition of farm machineries and equipment (post-harvest facilities), and other rice-related projects at considerable terms.


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