BOKOD, Benguet – Twenty-six farmers each received P25,000 as loan from the Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Credit and Policy Council (DA-ACPC) through its lending conduit, the Bokod Sulphur Spring Multipurpose Cooperative (BSSMC).
The farmers received the amount during the launching of the Expanded Survival and Recovery (SURE) Aid Program at the municipal covered court in Barangay Poblacion on May 12.
“Two hundred qualified farmers of Bokod will directly benefit from the P5 million budget released by the DA-ACPC SURE AID Program for the municipality,” said Kristle Ann S. Balingan, ACPC program management officer.
The SURE Aid Program is a project of the DA-ACPC in partnership with the Land Bank of the Philippines to help farmers who incurred losses due to the enhanced community quarantine. The assistance is non-collateralized and has no interest.
“Before the launching day, 73 farmers already availed of the loans from the BSSMC. We are committed to release the loans immediately to lessen the burdens of the farmers during this pandemic,” said BSSMC General Manager Betty Calawa.
Florena C. Pedro, DA-CAR market specialist, also reminded the farmers that the loan assistance shall strictly follow the one person per household policy.
BSSMC chair Isabelo Anselmo said the loan can be paid within three years.
“This is a big help to our farmers in Bokod, especially those whose products were not bought because of the lockdown. Our office headed by Mayor Thomas Wales Jr. is grateful to DA-ACPC for extending the SURE Aid project to the municipality,” said Municipal Agriculture Officer Gerardo Beray. – Jobelle Anselmo Batanes
