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New Alicia public market soon to rise via P190-M LANDBANK loan
ALICIA, Isabela — The first-class municipality of Alicia in Isabela recently began the construction of its new public market bankrolled by a P190-million loan from the Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK). The LANDBANK term loan availed by the local government of Alicia in 2021 has funded the acquisition of a 20,000 sq.m. commercial lot in Barangay Antonino, Alicia, and jumpstarted the construction of the new public market building. The rise of the new public market will decongest the existing market and will provide business opportunities to small and medium enterprises, as well as ambulant vendors in Alicia and its neighboring towns. Aside from the hiring of market administration personnel, the project has also generated jobs for around 230 indirect laborers involved in the development and construction of the building. “LANDBANK is one with our local government partners in providing necessary facilities to support the growth of agri-producers and local entrepreneurs. This forms part of our broader thrust of helping build stronger and more resilient local economies,” said LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo. The new public market is set to have eight perimeter rows of stalls or about 172 stalls for dry goods and groceries, and four inside sections of about 108 stalls for fruits and vegetables, including meat and fish sections. The market facility will also be equipped with modern facilities, such as a water sprinkler system, closed-circuit television (CCTV) monitoring system, double drainage canal, steel elevated water tank with deep well water pump, and standby generator set, among others. With LANDBANK’s support, Alicia Mayor Joel Amos P. Alejandro believes that the new public market will hasten commercial and economic growth in the area while catering to the various needs of the community. “Alicia is running twice as fast in good governance, business, and property development to be the next wonderland in the North,” Mayor Alejandro said. With its vast agricultural land and irrigated fields, Alicia is one of the largest rice-producing towns in the region, with palay production dominating its local economy.
LEARN MORELANDBANK’s largest capital infusion in Duterte watch yields better services, financial inclusion for Filipinos—Dominguez
President Duterte’s all-out support for the Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) through a capital infusion that is the largest compared to the combined amounts that the institution had received under previous administrations has expanded financial inclusion among Filipinos and provided better services to the underserved sectors of the economy, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has said. Dominguez said that at the homestretch of the Duterte administration, LANDBANK’s total equity will have grown to P230.4 billion by end-April, which represents a 160-percent increase from its P88.7-billion capital when the President took office in 2016. This feat has made LANDBANK the second largest universal bank and the bank with the highest paid-in capital in the country, Dominguez said. The state-run lender’s financial strength under President Duterte has been used to provide low-interest loans to underserved sectors, especially small farmers and fisherfolk; and extend support to broad sections of the economy, such as healthcare, education, power generation and distribution, water, transportation, and housing, said Dominguez who is also LANDBANK chairman. He said LANDBANK has extended financing support for the construction of over 200 hospitals and the procurement of more than 20,000 patient beds. “Early in your administration, I asked for your permission to allow the Land Bank of the Philippines to expand its asset base and scope of services. You not only gave your permission but also your total support to enable LANDBANK to achieve these goals. It is your administration, Mr. President, that has infused the largest amount of capital into LANDBANK compared with the combined amounts under all other administrations,” Dominguez said during LANDBANK’S historic turnover of 1.36 billion shares of common stock to the government. These new shares of stock in the name of the Republic of the Philippines is worth P136.2 billion. President Duterte received the stock certification from LANDBANK on behalf of the government at Malacañan Palace Monday night. Dominguez said LANDBANK’s capital increase has been prudently managed and used, as the President instructed, to extend more loans to the agriculture sector. By year-end 2021, LANDBANK’S loan portfolio for the agriculture sector stood at P247.9 billion, an 80-percent increase from the P137.6 billion in 2015, Dominguez said. To assist the President in realizing his goal of inclusive and sustainable growth, LANDBANK is also the biggest lender to the local government units (LGUs). “The robust capital infusion reinforced LANDBANK’s financial strength and allowed it to be an effective partner of the government in advancing its development agenda. We have used that strength to better serve the Filipino people,” Dominguez said. LANDBANK’S total equity of P88.7 billion in 2015 steadily rose when President Duterte took office, from P152.49 billion in 2019 to P177.64 billion in 2020, and to P207.68 billion in 2021. “On behalf of the men and women of LANDBANK, I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for the strongest support any President has provided for this institution,” Dominguez said. Dominguez said LANDBANK’s support to other sectors of the economy “will help revive our enterprises and stimulate domestic economic activity.” On top of fulfilling its role as a policy bank, Dominguez said LANDBANK also took the lead in modernizing the banking sector by being instrumental in the establishment of the Overseas Filipino Bank (OFBank), officially the first branchless digital-only bank in the country that now serves overseas Filipinos in 116 countries. “Through your fulfilled promise to our workers abroad, they can now open bank accounts anywhere in the world, conveniently send money to their families, and save as well to grow their hard-earned incomes. They don’t have to go to a branch, they only have to use their cellphone or computer,” Dominguez said. Dominguez also cited LANDBANK’S successful merger with the financially ailing United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) that took effect last March 1. “I am pleased to report, Mr. President, that it has successfully implemented this merger with no major glitches or problems. Through the merger, we have reduced the risk of around 87 billion pesos in potential losses for the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) by putting the financially weak UCPB under the financially strong LANDBANK,” Dominguez said. He commended outgoing LANDBANK President-CEO Cecilia Borromeo; Executive Vice Presidents Liduvino Geron, Carel Halog, Julio Climaco, Alan Bornas; and Senior Vice President Benjamin Bongolan for their almost three years of hard work and participation in making the LANDBANK-UCPB merger deal happen. Dominguez said that as the distribution arm of the government’s social protection programs, LANDBANK’S cash transfers of P45.5 billion in 2015 to a total of 4.4 million beneficiaries grew to P133.6 billion in 2021 that benefited 10 million recipients nationwide. “LANDBANK’s role in this effort served us well during the pandemic. The Bank will be instrumental in cushioning the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict for the most vulnerable sectors of the economy, because the amount you approved of 500 pesos per vulnerable family per month for 6 months will be coursed through LANDBANK. They will be the one to distribute the money through the bank accounts,” Dominguez said. In helping achieve President Duterte’s goal of financial inclusion, LANDBANK provided bank accounts for 7.2 million previously unbanked national ID registrants, and will provide 6.3 million more bank accounts for unbanked Filipinos. “This is the most effective instrument in building a truly inclusive financial system,” Dominguez said. “Overall, I am happy to report that LANDBANK continues to be strong, stable and professionally managed,” he added. This article was lifted from DOF's website (www.dof.gov.ph)
LEARN MORELANDBANK sets record-high 50.1% budget attribution for gender and development
In line with the National Women’s Month celebration this March, the Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) reported that its gender and development (GAD) budget attribution reached more than 50% of its corporate operating budget (COB) for 2022. LANDBANK’s GAD budget attribution is an all-time high and an exponential increase from 9.33% in 2021, meant to further mainstream GAD in the Bank’s policies, programs, and activities. As part of its continued commitment to advance gender equality and women empowerment, the state-run Bank’s unprecedented GAD budget is expected to translate to the delivery of more inclusive and gender-responsive services, especially for unbanked and underserved women in the country. This initiative also forms part of LANDBANK’s compliance with Republic Act No. 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women (MCW), which requires that at least 5% of the COB be attributed to GAD, as overseen by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW). “LANDBANK has made significant strides in promoting GAD initiatives. We shall continue to sustain and intensify these efforts to mainstream gender equality and women empowerment, which includes exploring avenues for integrating gender-sensitive policies in all our processes and programs,” said LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo. LANDBANK’s GAD budget for 2022 will fuel the roll-out of GAD-related programs, such as client consultations on gender needs, conduct of gender sensitivity trainings, and evaluation of lending programs for the advancement of GAD. LANDBANK also supports the National Government’s gender mainstreaming agenda through the creation of Regional GAD Focal Point Systems, grant of leave benefits under the MCW, and adoption of activities recommended by PCW, among others. Lastly, the Bank actively supports the implementation of Republic Act No. 11313 or The Safe Spaces Act through information campaigns on zero-tolerance of gender-based sexual harassment in the workplace and other public areas. For more details about LANDBANK’s GAD initiatives, visit the LANDBANK GAD Corner on its official website at www.landbank.com/gad-corner.
LEARN MORELANDBANK delivers P569-M fuel subsidy for PUV drivers
Jeepney drivers have successfully claimed their Pantawid Pasada cash cards loaded with P6,500 fuel subsidy at LANDBANK Cubao Branch in Quezon City on 18 March 2022, as part of the National Government’s support intervention to PUV drivers amid the rising fuel prices. The driver-beneficiaries can use the cash cards to purchase fuel at participating fuel stations nationwide. About 87,500 jeepney drivers nationwide have already received fuel subsidy worth P6,500 each, as Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) ramps up support to public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers challenged by the sudden rise in fuel prices. LANDBANK, in close coordination with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), has credited fuel subsidies totaling P569 million for existing Pantawid Pasada cash cardholders under the Fuel Subsidy Program as of 17 March 2022. More than 377,000 PUV driver-beneficiaries are eligible to receive the subsidy under the Program. “LANDBANK is one with the National Government in providing immediate support interventions to PUV drivers to weather the impact of the fuel price surge. We are working closely with the DOTr and LTFRB to complete the distribution of the fuel subsidy to all beneficiaries nationwide at the soonest time possible,” said LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo. Apart from jeepney drivers, the Fuel Subsidy Program beneficiaries also include drivers of UV express units, minibuses, buses, shuttle services, taxis, tricycles, and other full-time ride-hailing and delivery services nationwide. Beneficiaries without Pantawid Pasada cash cards will be provided cash cards at designated LANDBANK branches as identified by the LTFRB. The Pantawid Pasada cash cards can be used to purchase fuel at participating fuel stations nationwide. LANDBANK continues to partner with national government agencies to ensure the timely, safe and efficient delivery of financial interventions to eligible beneficiaries, as part of the Bank’s commitment to serving the nation.
LEARN MOREAll LGUs now serviced by LANDBANK
All local government units now maintain their deposit accounts with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK). This enables LANDBANK to further expand its role as the biggest development partner of the LGU sector towards inclusive local development. "LGUs are LANDBANK's primary partners on the ground in promoting inclusive and sustainable growth. Having all LGUs in our deposit base ensures that we can cover and better service local development requirements across the country,” said LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo. LANDBANK remains to be the biggest lender to the LGU sector with outstanding loans reaching almost P70 Billion, most of which are for various agri-aqua projects, transportation, and healthcare initiatives. LANDBANK is the biggest government-owned universal bank that delivers timely and responsive financial and support services primarily to small farmers and fishers, key development industries, LGUs and government agencies, among others, towards promoting inclusive countryside development.
LEARN MORELANDBANK contributes P87.8-B in RTB-27 sales
State-run Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) sold P87.8 billion or more than 19% of the recently concluded Retail Treasury Bonds Tranche 27 due 2027 (RTB-27). The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) raised a total of P457.8 billion for this issue. Proceeds from the issuance will fund the country’s COVID-19 recovery measures, construction of infrastructure projects, refinancing of existing debts, and other key national expenditures toward advancing economic development and resilience. “LANDBANK’s active participation in the RTB-27 offering is in line with our continued support to the National Government in ramping-up socio-economic development initiatives. We are one with the whole nation in rising towards the new economy,” said LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo. From 15 to 28 February 2022, LANDBANK sold the RTB-27 through traditional over-the-counter placements in its branches nationwide and via its various online investment channels, allowing more Filipino retail investors to participate in the said offering safely and conveniently. More than P66 million in sales were processed through the LANDBANK Mobile Banking App, and almost P19 million through the LANDBANK portal via the BTr Online Ordering Facility. More than P13 million was facilitated through the mobile banking app of the Overseas Filipino Bank (OFBank)—the official digital bank of the Philippine government and a subsidiary of LANDBANK. The RTB-27 is a low-risk investment instrument with a coupon rate of 4.875% per annum, offered at a minimum investment of P5,000 and in multiples of P5,000 thereafter. Interest payments will be paid quarterly during the term of the bond. LANDBANK is Joint Lead Issue Manager for the RTB-27 issuance, as part of its continued support to advancing greater financial inclusion and raising the state’s resources for emergency, recovery, and resiliency programs.
LEARN MORELANDBANK loans reach almost P31-B for pandemic-hit co-ops, businesses
The Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) has approved loans totaling P30.96 billion as of end-January 2022 to help cooperatives and local businesses recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the I-RESCUE (Interim REhabilitation Support to Cushion Unfavorably affected Enterprises by COVID-19) Lending Program, LANDBANK has supported a total of 687 borrowers, composed of 462 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), 115 cooperatives, 105 large enterprises, and five (5) microfinance institutions (MFIs). “LANDBANK recognizes the crucial role of local businesses to ramp-up the country’s ongoing economic recovery. We will continue to provide timely and accessible credit assistance to serve their financial requirements amid the pandemic and beyond,” said LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo. Launched in April 2020 at the height of quarantine restrictions to stem the rising COVID-19 infections, the I-RESCUE Lending Program aims to provide credit and loan restructuring assistance to businesses adversely affected by the pandemic, under more flexible terms and conditions. Under the Program, eligible borrowers may loan up to 85% of their emergency or permanent working capital requirements, with an affordable interest rate of 5% per annum for three (3) years, subject to annual re-pricing thereafter, and payable up to 10 years with a maximum of two (2) years grace period on the principal repayment. The Program also offers a sub-credit facility for MSMEs and cooperatives, as well as self-employed individuals duly registered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), classified to be critically affected by the pandemic. The LANDBANK I-RESCUE Lending Program is available until December 31, 2022. Interested borrowers may contact the nearest LANDBANK Lending Center or Branch nationwide or call LANDBANK’s customer service hotline at (02) 8-405-7000 or at PLDT Domestic Toll Free 1-800-10-405-7000.
LEARN MORELANDBANK backs 365 LGUs with P101.1-B in loans to ramp-up recovery
The Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) has approved more than P100 billion in loans for 365 local government units (LGUs) nationwide as of end-January 2022. The substantial financial assistance to LGUs is in line with the Bank’s commitment to hasten the revival of local economies and communities affected by the pandemic. Under its RISE-UP LGUs (Restoration and Invigoration package for a Self-Sufficient Economy towards UPgrowth for LGUs) Lending Program, LANDBANK extends loans to provincial, city, and municipal governments to finance COVID-19 response and recovery intervention projects. Eligible projects allowed under the RISE UP LGUs include the purchase of agricultural produce, acquisition of equipment and construction of facilities to link products to the market, including other programs and projects of the LGU that provide basic and support services, social welfare, healthcare, and other infrastructure activities. Since its launch in July 2020, the Program has gained wide acceptance by LGUs that the state-run bank has increased its fund allocation to P150 billion—15 times more than the P10-billion initial fund—to accommodate the needs of more LGUs. “Together with our local government partners, LANDBANK remains at the forefront of delivering essential services for the Filipino people and the nation at large. LANDBANK is the biggest development partner of the LGU sector, with all provinces, cities, and municipalities now maintaining deposit accounts with LANDBANK,” said LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo. LANDBANK is encouraging LGUs to promptly draw on their approved and enrolled loans under the RISE UP LGUs Lending Program and take advantage of the interest subsidy. Interested LGUs may contact the nearest LANDBANK Lending Center or Branch nationwide, or call LANDBANK’s customer service at (02) 8-405-7000 or at PLDT Domestic Toll Free 1-800-10-405-7000.
LEARN MORELANDBANK accounts opened online tops 2-million mark
The Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) has recorded a total of 2.12 million accounts opened online through its award-winning Digital Onboarding System (DOBS) as of end-December 2021, driven by the continued rise in demand for safer digital banking services. “This new DOBS milestone underscores LANDBANK’s steadfast commitment to deliver accessible and innovative digital solutions as we respond to the changing times. This is also a testament to the Bank’s dedication to balance service delivery while ensuring the health and safety of our customers,” said LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo. Since its launch in November 2018, the LANDBANK DOBS has helped simplify the account enrolment process and reduced the account opening time of customers from 45 minutes to just 10-15 minutes. LANDBANK also launched last year the DOBS Mobile as a feature of its Mobile Banking App (MBA), which allows customers to open a LANDBANK savings account using their mobile phone without the need to go to a LANDBANK branch. Accounts opened through DOBS are automatically enrolled in LANDBANK’s array of e-banking channels, such as the LANDBANK iAccess and Mobile Banking App that facilitate simple digital banking transactions. LANDBANK account holders can also update their information as well as open a payroll account through the DOBS. The LANDBANK DOBS was cited as a pioneering web application among universal banks in the Philippines. It was awarded with a Merit Award for Technology Development by the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP) Development Awards. The DOBS is accessible through LANDBANK’s official website (www.landbank.com) or through the Digital Corner of selected LANDBANK branches dedicated for walk-in clients, while the DOBS Mobile can be accessed through the LANDBANK MBA.
LEARN MORELANDBANK e-banking transaction value soars 46% to P2.45-T in 2021
The Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) announced that the combined value facilitated by its six major electronic channels reached P2.45 trillion in 2021—a 46% hike from the previous year—while volume of transactions grew by 19% to 136.3 million. LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo credited this growth to the expanding adoption of the Bank’s digital services and marks another milestone in LANDBANK’s ongoing digital transformation. “LANDBANK is leveraging on the latest technological solutions to deliver a digital banking experience designed for the new normal. We will continue to bank on digital infrastructures as we push for greater digital adoption and advance financial inclusion in the country,” said President Borromeo. The LANDBANK Mobile Banking App (MBA) recorded 103.8 million transactions worth P172.39 billion last year, representing upsurges of 44% and 103%, respectively, from the previous year. The Bank’s e-payment facility, Link.BizPortal, facilitated around 3.88 million transactions equivalent to an 83% increase, corresponding to a total value of P10.45 billion or a 31% growth rate. The LANDBANK weAccess—the Bank’s institutional internet banking platform—recorded 20.9 million transactions worth nearly P489 million for increases of 29% and 24%, respectively. The Bank also logged a 30% jump in value via its iAccess internet retail banking channel, reaching P15.40 billion compared to P11.87 billion in 2020. The LANDBANK Bulk Credit System (LBCS) also posted unprecedented annual growths of 105% and 1181% for volume and value, respectively. Lastly, the LANDBANK Electronic Modified Disbursement System (eMDS) for national government agency partners posted increases of 20.9 million or 29% more transactions, and a total P488.98 billion or 24% rise in value. With the continuous increase in the use of e-banking channels, the state-run Bank assures its customers that it maintains the highest level of security in all its systems while reminding customers to remain vigilant against online banking fraud and scams.
LEARN MORELANDBANK, TESDA unite anew to back tech-voc grads
LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo (left) and TESDA Director-General Secretary Isidro S. Lapeña (right) lead the virtual signing of a Memorandum of Agreement for the LANDBANK-TESDA partnership program that aims to provide credit assistance to Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) graduates. The Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) renewed their partnership program to finance the livelihood needs of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) graduates. Initiated in 2019, the LANDBANK-TESDA partnership program was extended through a virtual signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) led by TESDA Director-General Secretary Isidro S. Lapeña and LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo on 15 February 2022. “LANDBANK is fully committed to support TESDA graduates in taking the next steps in their employment journey by extending available credit facilities to help them establish their businesses,” said President Borromeo. Under the Agreement, LANDBANK will offer credit assistance to eligible and TESDA-endorsed TVET graduates, Trainees’ Associations, and Trainees’ Cooperatives for their livelihood and business endeavors. “I have no doubt that through this partnership, we shall be producing more entrepreneurs and creating more jobs, which shall ultimately lead to a revived economy,” said Secretary Lapeña. The partnership program is part of LANDBANK’s thrust to generate more employment opportunities to spur the nation’s ongoing economic resurgence. The collaboration will likewise facilitate capacity-building trainings to identified beneficiaries to improve their entrepreneurial skills and business competency, especially under the new normal.
LEARN MORELANDBANK-UCPB merger starts on March 1
The merger between state-run Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) and United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) takes effect on 01 March 2022, envisioned to provide a more robust support to the country’s agriculture sector for inclusive rural development. Both LANDBANK and UCPB customers will have access to a combined network of 677 branches and branch-lite units, 2,800 automated teller machines (ATMs), and 228 cash deposit machines (CDMs) nationwide as of February 23, as well as benefit from a wider range of innovative products and services. As the surviving entity, LANDBANK’s total assets will increase to P2.9 trillion, further solidifying its ranking as the second-largest bank in the country in terms of assets. More importantly, the increased financial muscle will significantly grow the Bank’s loan portfolio directed at servicing the whole agriculture sector alongside key development industries. “LANDBANK’s union with UCPB advances the government’s development agenda to support the agriculture sector through a stronger, more resilient and unified banking institution. The merger places us in a better position to reach and service more farmers, fishers and other players in the agribusiness value chain nationwide,” said LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo. Customers are assured that the services of both LANDBANK and UCPB will continue to be unhampered, with deposits remaining intact and secured in their respective servicing branches. All UCPB branches will continue to operate and serve UCPB customers until the systems integration and accounts migration to LANDBANK are completed. The majority of UCPB branches will be converted as LANDBANK branches and will be announced regularly to the public. Existing service fees will still apply for cash withdrawals of UCPB cardholders at LANDBANK ATMs until all accounts are converted or migrated to LANDBANK that comes with new ATM cards. The merger between LANDBANK and UCPB is pursuant to Executive Order No. 142 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on 25 June 2021, which approved the merger to form a better capitalized and more resilient institution that will play a principal role in the National Government’s development and financial inclusion agenda.
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