CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The Department of Agriculture regional office in Central Luzon (DA-3) is preparing to extend financial loan assistance to farmers and fisherfolk in the provinces and municipalities under a state of calamity due to Super Typhoon Karding.
Through the Agricultural Credit and Policy Council (ACPC), the DA-3 will implement the Survival and Recovery (SURE) Assistance Program for the farmers and fisherfolk, whose livelihoods were adversely affected by the super typhoon.
Maricel Dullas, DA-3 Regional Agri-Credit Desk Officer, on Thursday said the program would help restore the normalcy in the livelihood of farmers and fishermen by helping lessen the burden of being left on their own and recover from their losses.
Under the program, the DA-ACPC will provide loan assistance to eligible farmers and fisherfolk of not more than PHP25,000 payable up to three years with zero interest rate and a 3 percent service fee.
“Malaki ang maitutulong ng DA-ACPC sa mga magsasaka at mangingisda ang Region 3. Makakaroon sila ng puhunan para mabili ang kanilang pangangailangan sa agrikultura na walang interest at kolateral (The DA-ACPC will be a big help to the farmers and fisherfolk in Region 3. They have capital to buy their agricultural needs without interest and no collateral),” Dullas said in social media post.
No exact date yet as to the granting of the loan as the municipal and provincial agriculturists will still have to validate the farmers and fisherfolk eligible to receive the financial help.
Based on the report of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the province of Nueva Ecija; the towns of Candaba and Macabebe in Pampanga; Concepcion in Tarlac; San Miguel in Bulacan; Dingalan in Aurora; and Cabangan in Zambales were placed under a state of calamity following the massive damage brought by Karding in their agriculture sector.
In the entire region, a total of 93,950 farmers and fisherfolk were affected by the onslaught of the super typhoon while damage to agriculture in the region was estimated at PHP2.62 billion. (PNA)
