The ACPC took part in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Research Academy’s (BRAc) Research Huddle Public Seminar Series, to present results of the Small Farmer and Fisherfolk Indebtedness Survey (SFFIS) on February 28, 2024.

ACPC Policy Research and Advocacy Division (PRDS) Chief Mr. Kennedy Garabiag explained the results of the SFFIS, which ACPC conducts every 3 years to determine the borrowing incidence and access to formal credit of small farmers and fishers (SFF).

The 2022 SFFIS was conducted during the period April 2022 – January 2023 with the past 12 months from the interview date as the reference period. The survey covered a total of 2,718 SFF respondents, composed of 1,391 farmers and 1,327 fisherfolk located outside of Metro Manila. It generated data on the SFF’s: a) farming/ fishing operations; b) past year’s borrowing experience, c) loan source, amount, term, usage, and status, d) access and use of other formal financial services such as savings, insurance, remittance facilities, and e-wallets; e) effects of the COVID-19 pandemic; and f) plans and credit requirements in the next 3 years.

After the presentation, an open forum was conducted with inquiries and suggestions coming from both the BSP and public sector. ACPC Director Magdalena Casuga, Mr. Garabiag, Ms. Jennifer Ragma and Ms. Twinkle Frias represented the ACPC.