Manila: More Filipino farmers have gained access to the accelerated loan process under the Agri-Puhunan and Pantawid (APP) Program of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC), the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Tuesday. In a statement, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. highlighted that this initiative is a component of the agency’s modernization and digitalization efforts aimed at enhancing the country’s agriculture sector.
According to Philippines News Agency, Secretary Tiu Laurel stated, “By improving access to credit and support services, we empower farmers to invest in productivity, strengthen food security, and build a more resilient agricultural sector.” Recently, approximately 230 farmers from Negros Oriental applied for loans under the APP through the enhanced Agri-Credit e-Portal (ACE Portal 2.0).
With the implementation of ACE Portal 2.0, the ACPC aims to eliminate lengthy procedures often associated with loan applications, which have historically discouraged local farmers from seeking credit. Currently, 3,808 farmers are enrolled in the APP program, signifying the expansion of online platform participation across the nation.
Tiu Laurel emphasized, “Programs like APP, supported by digital tools such as ACE Portal 2.0, are part of our efforts to modernize Philippine agriculture by making financial services faster, simpler, and closer to our farmers.” The platform facilitates local food producers in processing loans through streamlined data encoding, verification, and processing.
Farmers can conveniently register and complete their loan applications even at a barangay-level onboarding. To expedite the verification of farmers’ eligibility, the platform is linked to the DA’s Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture.
Furthermore, ACE Portal 2.0 is integrated with the Interventions Monitoring Card of Universal Storefront Services Corp., serving as farmers’ debit cards for receiving loan proceeds. Rice farmers can access loans up to PHP60,000 per hectare as working capital, particularly for those cultivating 0.7 hectares to 7 hectares. The loan includes free crop insurance and government-backed purchase of harvests.
