Finance Secretary and LANDBANK Chairman Ralph G. Recto has extended financing assistance to 1,000 farmers in Bukidnon through the enhanced AGRISENSO Plus program, empowering them to boost productivity and livelihoods.
AGRISENSO Plus, or the Agriculture Growth and Resource Integration through Strategic and Enhanced Delivery of Support and Opportunities, is LANDBANK’s value chain-based financing program designed to empower small farmers, fishers, agrarian reform beneficiaries, and agri-MSMEs with better access to credit, capacity-building, and market linkages.
The program is in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s goal to boost the agriculture sector, accelerate rural development, and strengthen the country’s food security.
“Ang programang ito ng LANDBANK at ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos, Jr. ay isang konkreto at inklusibong sagot sa matagal niyo nang panawagan na tulong pinansyal,” Secretary Recto said in a message during the distribution of ATM cards to about 1,000 beneficiaries in Malaybalay, Bukidnon on June 20, 2025.
“Ito ay programang may malasakit—at may malinaw na pangarap na gawing abot-kamay ang pag-asenso ng bawat magsasaka at mangingisda,” the Finance Chief added.
The distribution was led by LANDBANK President and CEO Lynette V. Ortiz, Bukidnon Governor Neil Roque, and Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary Roger V. Navarro.
“Lahat po kami ay nandito para makinig, umalalay, at tumugon sa inyong mga pangangailangan. As your true partners in progress, our goal is to further strengthen our agriculture sector so that we may all advance and prosper together,” LANDBANK President and CEO Ortiz said.
Launched in May 2024 and upgraded in October of the same year, AGRISENSO Plus finances a wide range of agri-fishery needs—from crop and fisheries production to the acquisition of farm machinery, pre- and post-harvest facilities, and pond development.
More than just a lending facility, the program integrates financing with skills training, market access, and innovation adoption.
A key component of the program is the Agri-Fishery Support through Capability Enhancement for Nationwide Development (ASCEND), which delivers tailored capacity-building support to ensure sustainable and profitable agri-business ventures.
“Kasi alam natin, minsan hindi sapat ang sipag. Kahit magtanim ka ng pawis, kung walang kaalaman at diskarte, mahina ang ani,” Secretary Recto said.
As of May 2025, AGRISENSO Plus has disbursed PHP 1.16 billion in loans, benefitting 6,853 borrowers and helping finance over 21,000 hectares of farmland within just six months.
LANDBANK aims to bring the program to at least 10,000 new beneficiaries by the end of the year, as part of the government’s broader push to modernize and uplift rural livelihoods.
“Kaya, patuloy lang po tayong mangarap, magplano, at magtrabaho. At makakaasa po kayo na mayroon kayong gobyerno na handang tulungan kayong tuparin ang mga ito—hindi para magpapicture lang, kundi para tiyaking may bunga ang bawat pagsisikap ninyo,” the Finance Chief said.
“Ito po malinaw na utos ni President Bongbong Marcos, Jr.: Siguraduhin na ang Bagong Pilipinas ay hindi lang dapat maramdaman sa mga expressway o subway. Dapat may Bagong Pilipinas din sa palayan, sa sakahan, sa tabing-ilog,” he added.
Under Secretary Recto’s leadership, the DOF continues to ensure that LANDBANK serves not only as a financial institution but as a partner in building a better life for all Filipinos, especially farmers, fishers, and rural communities.
