ACPC Executive Director Jovita M. Corpuz was awarded Outstanding Alumnus in Agricultural Credit Policy and Program Reforms during the 36th Foundation Day of the University of the Philippines Los Baños-College of Economics and Management (UPLBCEM). The awarding ceremony was held on November 24, 2014 at ICOPED Auditorium, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna.

In particular, UPLB-CEM cited Exec. Dir. Corpuz forher immense contribution to steering the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC), the country’s premier institution on agri-credit policy and program development, towards increasing the access of small farmers and fisherfolk to sustainable agriculture financing through innovative programs and direct grant assistance.

UPLB-CEM also commended Exce. Dir. Corpuz for expanding the lending capacity of cooperative banks and increasing their outreach to smallholders, and for pioneering the integration of microfinance with agricultural lending, in the process redefining the essence of agricultural credit as a primary requisite of agricultural productivity.

Executive Director Corpuz was appointed as head of the ACPC in 2001. Upon her assumption to office, she resolved to steer the ACPC to greater heights of achievements by constantly expanding its role as the country’s premier institution on agri-credit policy and program development. In the process, she has contributed immensely not only in sustaining and bolstering ACPC’s relevance and resilience, but also in extending the boundaries and redefining the essence of agricultural credit as a primary requisite of agricultural productivity.

In the last thirteen years that she was at the helm of the ACPC, Exec. Dir. Corpuz showed a brand of leadership that is both dynamic and insightful, caring and inspiring. She has consistently ensured ACPC’s faithful adherence to its mission of fostering a financial system that is responsive to the requirements of agricultural and rural development. More importantly, all programs of the ACPC are geared towards increasing access of small farmers and fisherfolk to sustainable agriculture financing.

It was through her creativity and daring that ACPC has steered forward the implementation of the Agro-Industry Modernization Credit and Financing Program or AMCFP, the umbrella financing program for the Department of Agriculture (DA) for agriculture and fisheries. Today, the AMCFP has a total funding of P2 billion and another P2 billion will be added to its budget in 2015.

Thanks to the culture of excellence, work ethic and camaraderie she instilled among her directors and staff, the ACPC achieved significant milestones in policy reform, fund collection and consolidation, credit program design, implementation and institutional capacity building programs, and design and piloting of innovative financing schemes for small farmers and fisherfolk, among others.

Under her leadership, the ACPC completed research studies on rural finance and agricultural credit, and crafted policy recommendations that were eventually translated into legislation.

As ACPC chief, she leads in the design of innovative financing schemes (IFS) which allow non-collateral borrowers to have access to credit or financing and venture into alternative sources of livelihood. These schemes are implemented in pilot areas within a specific time frame, and replicated nationwide under the AMCFP, if proven feasible.

She pushed for the continuation of ACPC’s direct grant assistance to federations of farmers and fisherfolk organizations, state colleges and universities, training institutions and NGOs which serve as resource organizations that conduct Institutional Capacity Building (ICB) activities such as training, coaching and study visit for farmers and fisherfolk.

At the same time, she has tirelessly expanded the ACPC’s network of local partners (such as the Department of Agriculture, Land Bank of the Philippines, People’s Credit and Finance Corporation) and foreign allies (e.g., European Union, International Fund for Agricultural Development, Asia-Pacific Rural and Agricultural Credit Association- Center for Training and Research in Agricultural Banking) many of which actually tied up with the ACPC in various institutional capacity building programs (Upland Southern Mindanao Credit and Institution Building Program (USMCIBP), recently concluded Central Cordillera Institution Building Program (CCIBP) and the ICB component for the Cordillera Highland Agricultural Resource Management II (CHARM II).

Exec. Dir. Corpuz’s earnest and consistent “global offensive” has been so successful she has become a pillar of the Asia-Pacific Rural and Agricultural Credit Association- Center for Training and Research in Agricultural Banking (APRACA-CENTRAB) having been elected as Chairman twice over.

Prior to being the Executive Director of ACPC, Exec. Dir. Corpuz has been an Assistant Director at the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) form 1994 to 2001. Among her major duties and responsibilities included: assisting the Director in the planning, monitoring and evaluation of the Research and Development Programs of the agriculture and fisheries sectors; chairperson of various steering committees and technical working groups.

Aside from the award from UPLB-CEM, Exec. Dir. Corpuz has been awarded as one of the most distinguished UPLB alumna for Agricultural Credit and Rural Financing during the 2007 UPLB Alumni Homecoming and the 88th Loyalty Day. The award gives recognition to UPLB alumni who have achieved excellence in their respective fields.

Exec. Dir. Corpuz earned her BS degree in Agriculture major in Agricultural Economics at UPLB and her MS in Agricultural Commerce at Lincoln University in Canterbury, New Zealand.