President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday called on government-run Landbank of the Philippines to find ways how to make credit accessible to farmers in a bid to boost the agricultural sector.
Duterte said that Landbank should live up to its name as a bank for the farmers by providing them access to funds for agricultural supplies such as fertilizers, seedlings, and farming equipment.
“Kailangan yung bangko pupunta doon sa inyo. Or at least I am urging the Landbank to look for ways and means na makarating kayo doon sa farmers at anuhin mo man yang pera na yan, marami na yan,” Duterte said during the the ceremonial distribution of the Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) to 1,680 agrarian reform beneficiaries in Isulan town in Sultan Kudarat.
[The bank needs to come to you. Or at least I am urging the Landbank to look for ways and means to go to farmers and whatever you want to do with that money, it is a lot.]
“It is almost likely na commercial bank na ang Landbank which is to be land, lupa, bank, bangko para sa farmers (bank for the farmers) and yet it has rumbled on just like a commercial bank. ‘Yang pera na yan, bitawan na ninyo (let go of that money), give it to the farmers,” he added.
The President said that farmers should plant palm and rubber trees in Mindanao, which could be lucrative source of income.
“And even the mountain tilling and all, kung lagyan lang niyo yan ng palm trees yan or rubber, two to three hectares, you would be billionaires. Mag upo upo na lang kayo (You’ll just sit) three to five years from now,” he said.
He likewise added that land reform would continue despite the impasse in the peace negotiations with the communist rebels. /atm