Landbank Digital Transformation Gains More
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WHAT’S INSIDE 09 HARVEST MAGAZINE 03-04 THE SIKAT SAKA PROGRAM FARMERS FORUMS TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE HELPING EMPOWER EDITORIAL SMALL FARMERS THROUGH STAFF FOR FARMING INCLUSIVE LENDING Harvest Magazine is a quarterly publication PROGRAMS AND produced by LANDBANK’s Corporate Affairs TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Department, with address at the 32nd Floor, LANDBANK Plaza, 1598 M.H. Del Pilar cor. Dr. Quintos Sts., Malate, Manila 1004. Harvest Editors reserve the right to edit and finalize all stories prior to publication. For comments or suggestions/contributions, please contact us at 5512200 loc. 2288 10PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT or e-mail [email protected] or [email protected]. FEATURE STORY LEADS DISTRIBUTION Editor-in-Chief OF LAND TITLE CATHERINE ROWENA B. VILLANUEVA CERTIFICATES TO ARBs Associate Editor MELISSA B. CALIMAG IN MINDANAO WITH LANDBANK AND DAR Managing Editor ELEANOR V. SATUITO 05- 08 Writers ARNOLD O. ALDABA SUGAR HIGH JENALYN R. ORDINARIO JESSICA M. EVANGELISTA PARTNERSHIPSAT WORK MARIE PHANUEL B. MANANSALA RIZZALYN C. ROSALES LANDBANK DIGITAL Photographers TRANSFORMATION EDSEL C. SABIO FRANCISCO C. FLORESCA JR. GAINS MORE JOSELITO G. RAMOS MA. ANGELINE S. DELA CRUZ INTEROPERABILITY MA. LUISA P. MAGSAKAY 11 WITH PESONet Layout Artist CHRIS DANIEL L. FRANCISCO PayGate Contributors LANDBANK CORPORATE COMMUNICATORS LANDBANK LINK.BIZPORTAL HELPS LTO REACH 12 P1B ONLINE PAYMENT MARK BRANCH BANKING NEWS & UPDATES LANDBANK BRINGS TOTAL 13 BRANCHES TO 403 ABOUT THE LANDBANK IS “OUTSTANDING CSF LENDING BANK” COVER AT BSP STAKEHOLDERS EVENT The Government’s thrust to improve the state of agriculture, particularly in the countryside, has given the Pasig Agrarian Reform 14 LANDBANK BAGS 7TH Beneficiaries and Upland Farmers (PARBUF) MPC a seemingly simple yet sweet KARLSRUHE OUTSTANDING disposition to show fellow farmers and agri SUSTAINABLE FINANCE groups that there is a good future to be had in sugarcane farming, with the right amount of PROJECT AWARD hard work and reliable support. Get the latest news and updates from LANDBANK! FOLLOW US ON: landbankofficial @LBP_Official landbankofficial Harvest Magazine is also available online at www.landbank.com the small farmers, this issue features the first sugar block farm he need to address and eliminate threats to the beneficiary of the Socialized Credit Program under the Sugar country’s agriculture health is important now more than Industry Development Act, or SCP-SIDA – the Pasig Agrarian ever, as millions of Filipinos remain in poverty. Majority Reform Beneficiaries and Upland Farmers MPC (PARBUF). It is of these Filipinos can also be found making a living in the designed to help improve the earning capacity of farmers and Tcountryside. This, despite the vast land area for farming land workers while ensuring healthy competition in the sugarcane and major agri production present in the country. For instance, industry. the Philippines is among the top 10 producers of rice and sugar in the world. This lending program is just one of the many efforts that LANDBANK continues to foster toward helping its mandated This is in large part to the challenges prevalent in the agri and priority sectors overcome their respective struggles in industry, particularly in the grassroots level – financial achieving self-sufficiency and quality living. Another existing incapacity, insufficient infrastructure, unfair market competition, lending platform, the Sikat Saka Program, which is in and lack of modern technology, among others. partnership with the Department of Agriculture, continues to make waves in transforming the way small farmers are taking LANDBANK’s role in countryside development has always charge of their own ability to succeed, and be empowered been a crucial component to bridging the gap created by such movers in sustainable agriculture in the country. Four socio-economic deficiencies. As more lending programs are beneficiaries share their thoughts on how the said program has being created and enhanced to be more in tune to the needs of made life easier for farmers. GROWTH RATE OF THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR LOANS TO AGRICULTURE SECTOR AS OF JUNE 2019 Average growth of 1.1% 4 P42.31 B 2.6 2.8 LOANS TO SMALL FARMERS & FISHERS 1.7 1.1 -0.2 0.9 889,669 0.1 FARMER BENEFICIARIES -0.7 -1.2 channeled through 1,082 farmers and fishers cooperatives, 151 irrigator’s associations and 142 rural banks P177.32 B 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 LOANS TO OTHER AGRI BORROWERS Loans to private businesses engaged in agri-business, LGUs GROWTH OF LANDBANK LOANS TO THE and GOCCs with projects benefitting the agriculture sector AGRICULTURE SECTOR 222.1 Average growth of P524.86 B 183.4 LOANS IN SUPPORT OF NAT’L GOV’T 10.9% 151.8 PRIORITY PROGRAMS 137.6 125.2 Loans for the construction of hospitals and schools; 111.7 107.9 electrification, water system, housing and livelihood 99.9 102.8 projects which benefit farmers and fishers 93.3 Target by end-2019 B 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 P219.63GROSS LOANS TO AGRI SECTOR 231.30 Continued on pages 05-08 27.45%SHARE TO TOTAL LOANS 93.30 107.88 125.24 99.91 102.78 111.66 137.59 151.82 183.37 222.06 219.63 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Jun-19 LANDBANK remains consistent in its support to the agriculture sector as seen through the growth in loans it has provided through the years. Despite the stagnant growth rate of agriculture from 2009 to 2018 averaging at 1.1%, LANDBANK loans to the sector steadily grew at an average of 10.9%. THE SIKAT SAKA PROGRAM TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR FARMING he Sikat Saka Program, a direct lending program jointly implemented by LANDBANK with the Department of T Agriculture, has been a crucial lifeline for many small farmers across the nation’s countryside for the past seven years. Since launching in 2012, LANDBANK has released P9.18 billion in loans to small farmers in 45 major rice-producing provinces and 11 corn-producing provinces in the country. Providing direct credit to small palay the vast agri plains of Kiblawan in make ends meet. and corn farmers, the Program also Davao del Sur, the Sikat Saka Program offers integrated support such as has become a timely boon to palay With the help of Sikat Saka, many irrigation, training, market, extension, and farmers who continue to face the farmers in this quiet town have become administrative services. The beneficiaries, challenges brought about by nature and better equipped to navigate such realities. who must be members of Irrigators economics. From droughts to floods, Four men, all part of a local farmers Associations or endorsed by Farmers rats and black bugs waiting at just the association, became part of the Sikat Organizations, are likewise trained on right moment to wreak havoc on a good credit discipline and financial harvest season, these situations are Saka Program in December 2017. management – helping them learn how compounded by limited funds to prepare Thankful for the low diminishing interest to save, pay loans on time, and better farmlands for the next planting cycle, as rates and timely access to credit, they are manage their finances. well as difficulty in recovering from poor also grateful to LANDBANK for helping market conditions, or paying the high them still be the farmers they were born In Molopolo, a barangay nestled among interest on loans they took out just to to be and willingly choose to become. EDGARDO GANTE, 68 Gagampanan naman namin ang aming tungkulin na magbayad sa tamang oras, tamang panahon sa lahat ng aming obligasyon – para “tuluy-tuloy yun magandang partnership ng mga magsasaka at ng LANDBANK.” indi lang basta magsasaka, a very Before Sikat Saka, “Halos lahat ng mga “Sa totoo lang, walang farmer na hindi happy magsasaka – when asked farmers dito, pag may kailangan silang talaga kailangan na mangutang. Pero kahit whatH he now does for a living. financing sa kanilang farm ay pumupunta na nangungutang kami sa LANDBANK, sa mga loan shark. Masyadong mataas may kabutihan naman kaming nakukuha.” A former businessman, Edgardo traded the daily headaches caused by sleepless ang kanilang kinukuha, kinakaltas sa kanilang kita.” For instance, a P2,000 Edgardo is truly thankful for having nights thinking about constant profit LANDBANK’s support, especially in his margins with the more serene days in loan would mean a sack of rice every town. He hopes to see the Bank bring the rice fields. harvest; even three to four sacks for and do more for the farmers, so that he a P5,000 loan. “Imbes na ang farmer With children all grown and earning and his fellow growers can continue to gumiginhawa ang buhay, mas lalo silang their own income, he and his wife have do their share, that of being responsible chosen to stay and find happiness in humihirap. Di mawala-wala ang utang sa farmers. palay farming. loan shark.” 03 HARVEST Magazine September 2019 rior to being a rice farmer, Rolando worked as a guard for his daily living. HeP made the leap when his father, a banana farmer, finally retired due to old age. ROLANDO He is now able to rent his own harvester MANSUETO, 46 instead of relying on someone else who, for harvester fee, would get 13 sacks for every 100 his harvest would yield. Nun dati wala pang Sikat Saka, doon ako sa five-six The Program has also afforded Rolando to enjoy something he fully owns – the (loan shark) kumukuha ng motorcycle he cheerfully uses on and off pansaka ko. Ngayon, wala the field. na kong problema kung saan ko kukunin yun Maraming salamat talaga sa LANDBANK, “ kasi sila talaga yun nagdala ng pang-abono ko sa pag- programang Sikat Saka para sa mga sasaka, yun pang-medisina magsasaka.