PARA paigtingin ang access ng agricultural communities sa financial services at mga programang makadadagdag sa produksyon, pinagtibay ng Senado ang bicameral conference committee report na nagpapawalang bisa sa Republic Act No. 10000 o ang Agri-Agra Reform Credit Act of 2009.

Inisponsoran ni Sen. Cynthia Villar, chairperson ng Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, ang report para pagtugmain ang magkakasalungat na probisyon ng Senate Bill No. 2494 at House Bill No. 6134 o ang Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development Financing Enhancement Act of 2022.

“Concerns were raised because banks would rather pay penalties than lend money to farmers, fisherfolks and other agricultural stakeholders. She said more than increasing penalties to ensure bank compliance, she finds merit in the proposal to consolidate the loan allocation for farmers and fisherfolks and agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARB,” ayon kay Villar.

Itinatakda sa bill ang agriculture, fisheries, at rural development financing system sa pamamagitan ng government at private banking institutions. Mapapabuti nito ang productivity, income, competitiveness at kapakanan ng rural community beneficiaries, partikular ang mga magsasaka, mangingisda at ARBs, agrarian reform communities, settlers, agricultural lessees, amortizing owners, farmworkers, fishworkers, owner-cultivators, compact farmers, tenant farmers, at mga kasapi ng kanilang household at micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) pati na rin ang farmer’s at fisherfolk’s cooperatives, organizations at asosasyon.

Nakapaloob sa financing system ang pautang at investments upang pondohan ang mga aktibidades na makatutulong sa productivity at makadadagdag sa kita ng agrikultural at fisheries household.

“Toward this end, all banking institutions, whether government or private, except newly-established banks for a period of five years from date of commencement of the banks’ operations, shall set aside a credit quota, or a minimum mandatory agricultural and fisheries financing requirement of at least 25 percent of their total loanable funds,” sabi pa ni Villar.

“Banks may comply with the mandatory credit requirement by lending to rural community beneficiaries to finance agricultural and fishery-related activities or comply with the requirement through other means such as lending for the construction and upgrading of infrastructure, including but not limited to, farm-to-market roads, as well as the provision of post-harvest facilities and other public rural infrastructure that will benefit the rural community,” dagdag pa niya.

Tampok sa reconciled version ng bill ang pagbuo Ng special mula sa multa kung saan 20 percent ang ilalaan sa agricultural- at fishery- related organizational– capacity- at institution- building programs and activities. Ipatutpadmito ng Land Bank of the Philippines at Development Bank of the Philippines sa tulong ng training providers pagi na rin ang Agricultural Credit Policy Council at Cooperative Development Authority.
“These training programs will equip farmers particularly ARBs, as well as members of their household and the MSMEs, and agrarian reform communities with the appropriate knowledge and skills to improve their welfare, competitiveness, income and productivity,” giit pa ni Villar.

Bilang certified measure, kumpiyansa si Villar na agad itong lalagdaan ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte para maisabatas. (ESTONG REYES)