Duterte to LBP: Ease bank requirements for small farmers

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque. INQUIRER file photo / JOAN BONDOC

President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the  Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) to ease its requirements and make the state-run financial institution accessible to farmers.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte discussed this matter to LBP officials in a meeting in Malacanang on Wednesday.

“Ang gusto kasi niya, yung Landbank bumalik sa kanilang mandato na tulungan yung maliliit na magsasaka, hindi naman kasi pupwede na isang bangko na binuo ng gobyerno para tulungan ang magsasaka, hindi na malapitan ng magsasaka dahil napakadaming requirements na hindi pupuwedeng ma-comply ng mga maliliit na magsasaka,” Roque said in a Palace briefing.

(What he wants is for Landbank to go back to its original mandate of helping small farmers. It should not be the nature of a bank, formed by the government to help farmers, that small farmers can not approach it because they would fail to comply with the many requirements.)  

“Ang mandato ni gobyerno, ng ating Presidente dun sa Landbank, bumalik sa kanyang original mission and vision,” he added.

(The mandate of the government, of our President to Landbank, is to go back to its original mission and vision.)

Roque said Landbank has become a “sophisticated universal bank” and has not been easily accessible to farmers

“Lumaki na kasi nang husto ang Landbank, naging sophisticated universal bank na siya, bumalik dun sa kanyang pinanggalingan. Tulungan ang magsasaka maski kulang kulang yung mga hinihinging requirements,” he said.

(Landbank has become so large that it becomes a sophisticated universal bank, but it should revert back to its original form. Help the farmers even if they lack the requirements.)

The Palace official said the bank has imposed too may requirements for farmers before they could access loans or funds form the government-run bank.

“Ngayon kasi kinakailangan ng feasibilty study, kinakailangan ng ganyan na hindi naman alam ng magsasaka kung paano i-comply yan,” he said.

(Currently there is a need for a feasibility study, they need that but farmers do not know how to comply with it.)  

“So importante na to remind the bank na kayo’y andyan to provide instant credit para sa mga magsasaka, sa mga nais magtanim, yung mga biktima ng delubyo, yun talaga ang original mission and vision ng Landbank,” he added.

(So, it is important to remind the bank that they are there to provide instant credit for the farmers, to those who want to plant, the victims of floods, this is the original mission and vision of Landbank.)

The President, Roque said, reminded the Landbank of its true mandate after typhoon “Ompong” battered provinces in northern Luzon that destroyed crops and livelihood of many farmers.

“So yun po ang gusto niya, to remind them lalo na ngayon, merong mga ganitong sakuna na gaya ng “Ompong,” kinakailangan magbigay ng tulong sa lalong mabilis na panahon at huwag naman to insist on a long list of requirements like any other bank would do so,” he said. 

(So, this is what he wants, to remind them now that there a was calamity like “Ompong,” they need to provide help as soon as possible and not to insist on a long list of requirements like any other banks would do.) /jpv

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