To support the local hog industry amid threats from the African Swine Fever outbreak, the Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) has launched a new lending program to assist hog raisers in sustaining and increasing pork production.
During the program launch and signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between LANDBANK and the Department of Agriculture (DA) at the DA-Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) Convention Hall in Quezon City on March 17, 2021, the state-run bank said it has earmarked P15 billion for the SWINE (Special Window and Interim Support to Nurture Hog Enterprises) Lending Program.
The LANDBANK SWINE Lending Program will be available for commercial hog raisers registered as cooperatives or farmers’ associations, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and large enterprises or corporations.
“LANDBANK is supporting the Department of Agriculture by extending financing support to hog enterprises to sustain their operations and pork supply during this difficult time. Through the LANDBANK SWINE Lending Program, we aim to respond to the recovery requirements of our hog industry and contribute to ensuring food security,” said LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo.
Loans under the LANDBANK SWINE Lending Program shall be used for swine production, which includes the acquisition or importation of semen or breeding animals; feed milling operations; the construction, improvement or retrofitting of necessary facilities that are compliant to biosecurity protocols of DA, the industry or integrators; acquisition of fixed assets; and as working capital.
Eligible borrowers may avail of a short-term loan line or a term loan for up to 80% of their total project cost or financing requirement, with an affordable fixed interest rate of 3% per annum for three (3) years, subject to annual repricing thereafter.
Under the Program, short-term loans have a tenor of one (1) year, term loan for permanent working capital is payable up to five (5) years, while fixed asset acquisition is payable based on the cash flow or payback period of the project, with grace period on the principal and interest.
Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar and LANDBANK President Borromeo led the MOA signing to formalize the joint implementation of the SWINE Lending Program.
Witnesses from DA included Undersecretary for Livestock William C. Medrano, Undersecretary for Operations Ariel T. Cayanan, Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) OIC-Director Reildrin G. Morales, and National Livestock Program (NLP) and Agricultural Training Institute-International Training Center on Pig Husbandry (ATI- ITCPH) Director Ruth S. Miclat-Sonaco, together with LANDBANK Agricultural and Development Lending Sector Officer-In-Charge, Senior Vice President Ma. Celeste A. Burgos.
Under the agreement, DA will provide the list of eligible program borrowers and assist them in the preparation of a business plan, enrollment in the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC), and in securing necessary permits.
The DA will also provide loan recipients trainings on biosecurity management and breeding or rearing of hogs, while engaging the services of different organizations in capability building and implementation of biosecurity protocols.
LANDBANK, for its part, will accept and evaluate loan applications of eligible borrowers and facilitate the release of loan proceeds. The Bank will also monitor the performance of the Program and provide monthly reports to DA.
The DA and LANDBANK will work together to promote the Program through the conduct of focus group discussions and dissemination of educational materials.
The LANDBANK SWINE Lending Program will be available until December 31, 2026 in line with the Department of Agriculture’s hog re-population plan.
Last February, the Bank earmarked P2 billion for its new credit offering for the fisheries sector under the LANDBANK Commercial Fishing Vessel Financing Program, aimed at assisting existing and prospective commercial fishing operators in acquiring fishing vessels for domestic or overseas use.
For more information about these and other Lending Programs of the Bank, interested borrowers may contact the nearest open 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.
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