2.5M-WORTH CASH LOANS RELEASED BY THE MAFAR TO ELIGIBLE FARMERS IN MAGUINDANAO
One hundred (100) farmers from the Province of Maguindanao, who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, each received Php25,000-worth loan check from the MAFAR-BARMM totaling to Php2.5M, funded through the Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Credit Policy Council (DA-ACPC).
Held at the MAFAR Covered Court, BGC, Cotabato City, the activity was a part of the Expanded Survival and Recovery Assistance Program (Sure COVID 19) for Marginalized Small Farmers and Fisherfolk in Maguindanao.
Noraine Dumasil, MAFAR Regional Sure Aide Focal Person, said the beneficiaries were just first batch of the 400 total target farmer-recipients in the province.
The actual releasing of the loan checks was managed by the lending conduit Organization for Industrial, Spiritual, and Cultural Advancement Farmers Association for Ranao Muslim (OISCA FARM) Multipurpose Cooperative led by its Manager Sammy Batao and was assisted by Dumasil and Lindi Cati-ir, BARMM ACPC-Focal Person.
Minister Mohammad S. Yacob said the loan requires no interest and is payable in 10 years and designed to help the farmers defray their farming expenses especially these days that they are faced by the difficulty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The MAFAR Chief informed the farmers that the ministry does not stop to think and plan for their development and despite the many challenges in realizing the loan assistance for the farmers in Maguindanao, the ministry tried all possible ways for them to be part of the beneficiaries.
Further, the minister recognized the very need of the farmers for capital to improve their productivity at the same time, reminded them to be responsible loaners and to always remember that they are partners of the ministry in the development and enhancement of the region’s economy.
The first batch of farmer-beneficiaries came from the municipalities of Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Sultan Kudarat, Parang, Sultan Sa Barongis, Mamasapano, Sultan Mastura, Guindulungan, Talayan, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Shariff Aguak, Kabuntalan, and Datu Piang.
The activity was also attended by Engr. Ismail A. Guiamel, Assistant to the Minister for Agricultural Operations, Abdulnasser K. Badawi, MAFAR-Maguindanao Provincial Head, technical staff of the MAFAR-BARMM, and representatives from the BARMM’s Bureau of Public Information and other media partners.