Bicolana farmers receive agribusiness loans from the DA-ACPC AgriPinay program in celebration of National Women’s Month

As part of the DA Regional Field Office – Region 5’s (DA-RFO 5’s) Bicol Rural Women’s Day celebration held in Naga City on March 9, 2021, the DA-ACPC and DA RFO 5 Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) facilitated the ceremonial turnover of checks totaling Php 500,000 to five beneficiaries of the AgriPinay Loan Program. The DA-ACPC’s partner lending conduit for the program in Bicol Region is the Camarines Sur Multipurpose Cooperative (CSMPC), headed by General Manager Annie Panerio.

The AgriPinay Loan Program was launched in 2021 as a special window under the DA-ACPC’s Agri-Negosyo (ANYO) Loan Program. The AgriPinay is a targeted loan program which offers non-collateralized, zero-interest loans of up to Php100,000 per borrower for eligible women beneficiaries identified and endorsed by the DA Regional Gender and Development Focal Point Officers (DA GAD Focals), with priority given to women in farming and fishing households and members of Indigenous Peoples (IP) Groups. The loans will serve as capital for their startup or existing agri-fishery-based income-generating activities.

“Ang AgriPinay ay naglalayong magkaroon ng access ang mga kababaihan sa pautang at masiguro na sila ay kasama sa agri-fishery value chain, para maisaayos ang kanilang kabuhayan sa panahon ng global health crisis. Ito ang commitment ng DA-ACPC para masuportahan ang mga kababaihang magsasaka at mangingisda at patuloy silang makatulong sa food production,” said DA-ACPC Executive Director Jocelyn Alma R. Badiola during her message delivered virtually via Zoom teleconferencing.

“Sa pamumuno ng ating butihing Secretary Dar at sa matatag na suporta ng ating DA family at program partners, naniniwala ako na ang AgriPinay Loan Program ay magtatagumpay, mapapalakas natin ang gender equality at magkakaroon ng women empowerment sa agri-fishery sector,” she added.

Five beneficiaries from Camarines Sur were present to receive their loans to improve their agribusinesses for cacao production, mushroom production, taro production, food processing, and meat processing.

AgriPinay beneficiary and mushroom agribusiness owner Myrna Peñaflorida shared her testimony during the program. “Napakalaking tulong po ito sa aming women farmers, na magkaroon ng pandagdag na kapital para sa aming agribusiness na walang collateral at zero-interest. Nagpapasalamat po ako sa DA, ACPC, CSMPC at sa lahat ng tumulong sa amin sa paghanda at pag-ayos ng aming business plan, at sa pagproseso ng aming loan sa mabilis na panahon.”

Myrna is the owner of Mhina’s Processed Food Products, and she is also the Rural Improvement Club (RIC) federation president of Ocampo, Camarines Sur. She was one of the many outstanding women farmers present during the program. Past awardees of the Outstanding Rural Women Award, Gawad Saka Outstanding Farm Family, and beneficiaries of the Philippine Commission on Women’s (PCW) Supporting Women’s Economic Empowerment in the Philippines Project (GREAT Women Project 2), were present during the activity to honor the valuable contribution of women in the agriculture and fisheries sector.

The Bicol Rural Women’s Day is part of the Department of Agriculture’s month-long celebration of National Women’s Month 2021, with the PCW’s theme, “Juana Laban sa Pandemya: Kaya!” a campaign calling for “concrete, sustainable, and inclusive actions towards gender equality.”

“It is time to recommit ourselves to the advancement of women’s rights and opportunities,” said Usec. Evelyn G. Laviña, Undersecretary for High Value Crops and Chairperson for the DA-GAD Focal Point System, during her video message for the activity. “This month, let us do our part to ensure the empowerment of women in the sector.”

Also present during the program were Vice Mayor of Naga City, Hon. Cecilia Veluz-de Asis, DA RFO 5 Regional Executive Director (RED) Rodel Tornilla, Regional Technical Director (RTD) for Operations and Extension, Luz Marcelino, Regional GAD Focal Point Person for Bicol, Aloha Gigi Banaria, representatives from the Provincial and Muncipal Agriculture Offices (PAO/MAO) of the region, and the Rural Improvement Club (RIC) Coordinators of the region.

To learn more about the DA-ACPC’s credit programs, visit our website: http://acpc.gov.ph

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