Landbank earmarks over P3 billion for farmers

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December 4, 2025 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — State-owned Land Bank of the Philippines has allocated at least P3 billion next year to small farmers, allowing them to borrow from as small as P10,000 to as much as P100,000 for agrarian farm associations farm inputs, equipment, and other livelihood projects.

Landbank first vice president for agriculture and sustainable development group Eden Japitana said that they have a P200-million funding under the Enhanced ARISE (Assistance to Restore and Install Sustainable Enterprises) Program and another P3 billion for the Agrisenso Plus Program, where they partnered with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

“Under the Enhanced Arise Program, agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations can access a two-year advance credit line that becomes available immediately after a calamity,” the DAR said in a statement.

The government agency said that interest rates are kept low at two to three percent per year and zero percent for provident loans.

The DAR is working together with the Landbank through an endorsement and screening process to ensure loan applications are simple, transparent and accessible.

It endorses eligible agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations, certifies their documents and provides support in evaluating farm plans and budget.

For its part, the Landbank implements what it calls simplified requirements, reviews applications and ensures borrowers meet core criteria.

These core criteria include legal personality, management team, internal controls and basic documentations.

Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III said the regions most in need of funding are in the Visayas and Mindanao, although he acknowledged that support is necessary across the entire country.

To provide further support, Estrella said they are planning to scale up and expand their yearly Agraryo Trade Fair, which showcases the best products of agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations.

This year’s event opened yesterday at the Gateway Mall in Araneta City.

“It is a celebration  of the hard work of our agrarian reform beneficiaries. Bringing the fair to a public mall opens bigger markets for our farmers, elevates their products to mainstream spaces and empowers (them) to become competitive agro-enterprise players,” Estrella said.