A total of 595 farmers in southern Negros Occidental affected by Typhoon “Odette” last December availed of a no-interest loan amounting to P10,000 each from the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson led the distribution of the checks during the turnover rites at the Kabankalan City Demo Farm on Thursday, August 4.
“We thank the DA, they believe in the credibility of the people of Negros Occidental. I wrote them to request the province be included in the program and they approved it,” Lacson said.
Of the beneficiaries, 570 were from Kabankalan City and 25 from Hinigaran town, said Sarah Obordo, La Castellana – 1 Personnel Multi-Purpose Cooperative manager, the DA’s Agricultural Credit Policy Council partner-lending conduit.
The P10,000 non-collateralized loan is extended to each qualified household at a zero-percent interest rate payable in three years.
Called the Survival and Recovery (SURE) Loan, the aid aims to finance the emergency and production capital requirements of small farmers, fisherfolk, and animal raisers whose production income was affected by “Odette.”
With the loan assistance, the beneficiaries, who were enrolled in the Registry System for Basic Sector in Agriculture, are expected to regain the capacity to continue their agricultural activities and contribute to sustained food production.
DA-Western Visayas records showed that the region incurred P6 billion worth of production losses, affecting 156,113 farmers and fisherfolk, during the onslaught of Typhoon “Odette” from December 16 to 17, 2021.
Among the worst-hit areas were central and southern Negros Occidental, Guimaras, southern Iloilo, and southern Antique. (PNA)
