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ACPC Exec. Dir. Jocelyn Badiola (standing) listens to the discussion between ACPC officers, DA Regional Executive Directors (DA REDs) and their representatives to improve the implementation of the DA-ACPC Easy Access Loan Programs.

The Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) conducted a coordination meeting with Department of Agriculture Regional Executive Directors (DA REDs) to discuss and resolve pressing issues and concerns on the implementation of ACPC’s Easy Access Programs across the country.

The meeting was attended by DA Field Operations Service Director Roy Abaya, DA REDs, Regional Agri-Credit Desk Officers (RACDOs) and other representatives from the DA Regional Field Offices (DA RFOs), Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC), members of the ACPC ExeCom, PLEA Team Leaders, Senior PMOs and other ACPC officers and staff.

“We are here because we want to make a difference in the lives of our farmers and fisherfolk,” said ACPC Executive Director Jocelyn Alma Badiola during her opening remarks. She emphasized that the activity was meant to be a dialogue with the DA REDs, as ACPC’s partners in the implementation and improvement of the agency’s credit programs. She also hoped that the meeting would help participants reach a mutual understanding and appreciation of the programs to better fulfill the agency’s commitments and immediately address any issues reported by the regions.

Mr. Noel Clarence Ducusin and Mr. Charleston Dulay of the Program Development Division (PDD) presented the detailed process flow and application requirements of the Production Loan Easy Access (PLEA), Survival and Recovery (SURE) Loan Assistance, Agriculture and Fisheries Machinery and Equipment (AFME) Loan, and Working Capital Loan Easy Access (CLEA).

Ms. Gregoria Guce of the Monitoring and Evaluation Division (M&E) reported that as of March 2019, 39,391 borrowers were granted a total of P1.4 billion in loans through the PLEA, and 14,988 borrowers were granted around P169 million through the SURE. She also reported that field validation activities were conducted in 33 provinces from 2017 to December 2018, in which 3,006 PLEA borrowers were interviewed; of these, 67% were new borrowers to the respective lending conduits, and 46% were first-time borrowers from formal credit, indicating an increased outreach to previously unbanked farmers and fisherfolk. During the breakout session, a one-on-one consultation/dialogue was held for REDs/RFOs to air their concerns and for ACPC Team Leaders/PMOs to directly address these. Leading the discussions were PLEA Team Leaders, namely, Director Melito Montenegro for Regions XI and XII, Director Alicia Ilaga for Regions I and VI, Director Cristina Lopez for CAR, Regions III, IV-A, and IV-B, and Mr. Noel Clarence Ducusin for Regions II, VII, VIII, IX, X, and XIII.

ACPC’s PLEA Team Leader Dir. Montenegro (second to the left) addressing issues of DA RFO XI, represented by alternate RACDO Mr. Auxillo (middle).
ACPC’s PLEA Team Leader Mr. Ducusin (leftmost) discusses the PLEA program implementation with DA RFOs II, VII (RED Salvador Diputado, second from right; and RTD Marina Hermoso, rightmost), VIII, IX (RED Dennis Palabrica, third from right), X, and XIII, along with Director Roy Abaya of the DA Field Operations Service (second to left).
(Top photo) Ms. Mayeth Setias (middle), representing DA RFO IV-B offers insights on the implementation of PLEA in the region. (Bottom photo) ACPC’s PLEA Team Leader Dir. Lopez (middle) responds.
(Top photo) DA RFO VI RED Remelyn Recoter (right) with Ms. Tess Solis (left), share their suggestions for the PLEA. (Bottom photo) ACPC’s PLEA Team Leader Dir. Ilaga answers concerns and takes note of RED Recoter’s recommendations.

These concerns were documented by ACPC staff and consolidated during the synthesis report presented by Director Norman William Kraft.

In his closing message, Director Abaya underscored the primary goal of the DA and its attached agencies to efficiently deliver its programs to the country’s farmers and fisherfolk. He also thanked the ACPC for facilitating the much-needed dialogue, and the participants for doing their part in fulfilling the objective. The meeting was held on March 28, 2019 in Aklan province.

In his closing remarks, Director Abaya said that the whole DA family should work together to effectively and efficiently deliver its programs to the country’s farmers and fisherfolk, particularly to enable them to avail of the Easy Access loans of DA-ACPC.
The Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) conducted a coordination meeting with Department of Agriculture Regional Executive Directors (DA REDs) to address and resolve issues and concerns on DA-ACPC’s Easy Access Programs, and to enable more small farmers and fisherfolk to avail themselves of these credit programs for their agri-fishery projects.