Landbank Expans AGRISENSO Loans Program in Western Visayas

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By Rjay Zuriaga Castor and JP Jaen, Daily Guardian Intern

State-owned Land Bank of the Philippines has officially launched its AGRISENSO Plus Program in Western Visayas, expanding its flagship lending initiative to support agricultural productivity and income among small producers.

Around 1,800 farmers and agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) from Iloilo attended the regional launch at the Pototan Coliseum on Friday, July 11.

This marks the sixth national rollout of the AGRISENSO Plus Program and its first launch in the Visayas.

The program offers value chain-based lending with a fixed 4 percent annual interest rate for small farmers, fishers and ARBs.

Cooperatives and micro, small, and medium enterprises can avail of competitive rates ranging from 6.5 to 7.5 percent.

AGRISENSO Plus features simplified documentation, free life and credit insurance, and technical assistance for activities such as poultry and livestock production.

Beneficiaries also gain access to training in financial literacy, sustainable agriculture and business management through Landbank’s ASCEND initiative.

To support the loan program, Landbank introduced the AGRISENSO Plus Card — a no-deposit, no-maintaining-balance savings account designed for farmers, fishers and ARBs.

The card, accessible through the LANDBANK Mobile Banking App, allows users to pay bills, shop online, transfer funds and receive remittances, enhancing digital financial access in rural areas.

Rene Gegawin, a 50-year-old farmer from Leganes, said the loan assistance is timely amid rising input costs and declining yields.

“This is better because it can really help us since they offer loan assistance,” he said in Hiligaynon.

Lorna Clamor, president of the Nanga Farmers Association in Pototan, said the program empowers farmers to increase their output.

“As a farmer, Landbank can really help meet our needs so we can improve our produce,” she said.

“Through the AGRISENSO program, they can provide financial assistance that truly helps.”

Victoria Jucaban, a 56-year-old farmer from Barangay Badiang, New Lucena, shared her success in Landbank’s Sikat Saka program.

She increased the yield of her 1.2-hectare farmland and now plans to avail of AGRISENSO Plus.

The Sikat Saka Program offers affordable production credit to small rice and corn farmers through direct loans, with interest rates starting at 15 percent per annum for the first two cycles.

Jucaban said she received a production loan of up to PHP41,000 per hectare, which covered inputs such as seeds and fertilizers.

She praised the application process, noting she paid only PHP100 for the notarial fee and met minimal documentary requirements.

Loan disbursements, she added, were quick through Landbank cards and the mobile app.

“I highly encourage fellow farmers to avail themselves of Landbank’s loan programs because they are a big help,” she said.

“I also appeal to them to maintain good credit records so we can all keep our accounts clean.”

Landbank President Lynette Ortiz said AGRISENSO is designed to help farmers grow capital and transform into “agripreneurs.”

“It is our sincere and fervent goal to provide farmers access to capital and to sustain the country’s food security,” she said.

Landbank First Vice President Eden Japitana said there is no minimum lot size requirement, but applicants must be registered in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture.

He added that loan amounts depend on the commodity being financed, with a percentage of the total project cost covered.

In the event of crop loss due to calamities, Landbank may restructure loans, with the support of the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp.

Japitana said Landbank is also partnering with anchor firms to provide market linkages for borrowers.

The program includes capacity-building under LANDBANK ASCEND, which trains beneficiaries in digital financial literacy, sustainable farming and enterprise development.

As of May 2025, AGRISENSO Plus has disbursed over PHP1.16 billion in loans, benefiting nearly 7,000 borrowers and supporting more than 21,000 hectares of farmland nationwide.