The Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Credit Policy Council (DA-ACPC), through its AgriNegosyo and Survival and Recovery Assistance (SURE) Loan Programs, turned over P30 million worth of loans set to benefit small farmers and fishers and agri-fishery-based micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in Region 13.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, together with DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr., Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr., led the distribution of various assistance to farmers, fishers, and other beneficiaries during the 64th Araw ng Surigao del Sur, a weeklong celebration commemorating the provinces founding anniversary.

Among those present during the check turn-over were DA-ACPC’s partner lending conduits (PLCs) tapped to extend loans to farmers and fishers under the AgriNegosyo Loan Program. These were the Cantilan Bank, Inc. (CBI), Baug CARP Beneficiaries Multi-Purpose Beneficiaries (BCBMPC), Sto. Niño Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SMMPC), Bayugan Achievers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BAMCO), and Surigao del Sur Community Initiative Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SCIMPC).

The AgriNegosyo Loan Program aims to provide eligible borrowers with accessible and affordable loans to finance their capital requirements, allowing them to improve the efficiency, productivity, and profitability of their agribusiness activities across the value chain. Last April 2024, the DA-ACPC, led by President Marcos and Secretary Tiu Laurel, also provided P77.5 million to four (4) of its PLCs in Occidental Mindoro to implement the SURE Program for farmers affected by El Niño.