ALL CONNECTED: Quirino Governor Dakila Carlo “Dax” Cua takes a selfie with students from the Quirino General High School, who will soon benefit from the Province’s free public Wi-Fi project financed by the Land Bank of the Philippines. (Photo courtesy of the Provincial Government of Quirino)
QUIRINO Province – When the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly forced schools to halt face-to-face classes and shift to online learning, the need for improved access to online learning resources became more pressing.
Among those who struggled to cope with this set-up were students and teachers belonging to marginalized and rural areas in the Province of Quirino, as many of them did not have access to reliable and high-speed internet connection.
To address this gap, the Provincial Government of Quirino under the leadership of Governor Dakila Carlo E. Cua sought the assistance of the Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) to enhance the internet connectivity and accessibility in the Province.
Under the RISE UP LGUs (Restoration and Invigoration package for a Self-sufficient Economy towards UPgrowth for LGUs) Lending Program, LANDBANK approved a P67-million loan to finance the digital infrastructure project of the Quirino LGU, which aims to provide free Wi-Fi in schools and other public areas in the Province in its first phase.
The LANDBANK loan covers the procurement of an internet service provider; Wi-Fi equipment such as routers, modems and cables; and the installation of towers, among other provisions.
The installation of the Wi-Fi equipment is already underway, with the Quirino LGU prioritizing schools, public markets, rural health units, municipal and barangay halls, and other public spaces to maximize the benefits of the improved internet infrastructure.
Once completed this year, the project will provide students and residents with free internet access with speed of up to two gigabytes per second.
The free Wi-Fi project is expected to boost education, healthcare, tourism, and public services in the Province by enabling and enhancing access to convenient online platforms.
“LANDBANK’s financing facility is a big boost to the initiatives of LGUs. It provides relief to struggling LGUs while we ramp-up our efforts to mitigate the impact of the pandemic,” said Quirino Governor Cua.
LANDBANK helps LGUs to rise up
Under the RISE UP LGUs Lending Program, LANDBANK has approved loans totaling P113 billion for 408 LGUs as of 28 February 2023, to help ensure the resilient and sustainable recovery of local economies from the pandemic.
Provincial, city and municipal governments may borrow from LANDBANK to finance their development and innovative projects geared towards rebuilding their communities and local economies.
“LANDBANK continues to support local government partners toward full recovery from the pandemic, while also strengthening their capacity to withstand future crises. We aim to help develop resilient communities as part of our expanded mandate of serving the nation,” said LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia Cayosa Borromeo.
Eligible projects allowed under the Program include the purchase of agricultural produce, acquisition of equipment and construction of facilities to link products to the market, including other programs and projects of the LGU that provide basic and support services, social welfare, healthcare, and other infrastructure activities.
LANDBANK has increased the fund allocation for the Program to P150 billion—15 times higher from the initial P10-billion in 2020—to accommodate more LGUs nationwide.
The LANDBANK RISE UP LGUs Lending Program will be available until July 2025.
Interested LGUs may contact the nearest LANDBANK Lending Center or Branch nationwide, or call LANDBANK’s customer service at (02) 8-405-7000 or at PLDT Domestic Toll Free 1-800-10-405-7000.
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LANDBANK Q3 income climbs 42% year-on-year to ₱35.65 B, reflecting strong financial momentum
LANDBANK achieved a significant 42% jump in net income to ₱35.65 billion as of the third quarter of 2025, already surpassing its full-year earnings of ₱35.36 billion in 2024, and underscoring the Bank’s robust financial trajectory and performance above historical averages. Total assets expanded to a record ₱3.45 trillion, supported by growth in loan and investment portfolios. This solidifies LANDBANK’s position as the country’s second-largest universal and commercial bank in terms of assets. “LANDBANK’s strong performance as of the third quarter underscores our prudent management, operational efficiency, and continued investments in digital innovation. We remain steadfast in our mission to drive inclusive growth, empower the agriculture sector, and deliver innovative financial solutions for all Filipinos,” said LANDBANK President and CEO Lynette V. Ortiz. The Bank’s loan portfolio is now at its peak at ₱1.70 trillion, propelled by the higher volume of loans across all segments. Deposits rose to a new high of ₱3.07 trillion, demonstrating continued trust from both government and private sector depositors. LANDBANK’s digital transformation continued to accelerate, processing 550.73 million digital transactions valued at ₱3.14 trillion as of September 2025. This represents a 51% increase in volume from the previous quarter. The state-run Bank remained steadfast in its developmental mandate, with outstanding loans to Agriculture, Fisheries, and Rural Development (AFRD) reaching over ₱812 billion, accounting for over 47% of LANDBANK’s total loan portfolio. Under LANDBANK’s flagship AGRISENSO Plus Lending Program, the Bank has extended ₱1.95 billion in loans as of September 2025 to over 12,300 borrowers since its launch last year, most of whom are small farmers and fishers. Through the Program’s capacity-building component, a total of 25,296 small farmers and fishers have been trained. LANDBANK’s nationwide network continued to expand with 10,582 touchpoints, including 609 branches, 60 lending centers, 3,244 automated teller machines (ATMs), and 1,091 LANDBANKasama partners, ensuring broad access to financial services across the country. Customers can also transact free of charge at over 3,800 7-Eleven ATMs nationwide through the Bank’s partnership with Pito Axm Platform, Inc. (PAPI). ABOUT LANDBANK LANDBANK is the largest development financial institution in the country promoting financial inclusion, digital transformation, and sustainable national development. Present in all 82 provinces in the county, the Bank is committed to provide accessible and responsive financial solutions to empower Filipinos from countryside to countrywide.
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Empowering Cadiz as Negros’ farming hub: LANDBANK streamlines digital agri lending with AGRISENSO Plus
CADIZ CITY, Negros Occidental – LANDBANK continues to make agricultural financing more accessible with the integration of online applications under the AGRISENSO Plus Lending Program, allowing farmers to conveniently apply for loans anytime and anywhere, underscoring the Bank’s commitment to simplify access to affordable credit. LANDBANK President and CEO Lynette V. Ortiz and Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. led the launch on 30 October 2025 at the Cadiz City Arena, attended by more than 1,700 farmers from Cadiz and neighboring towns. They were joined by Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) President Atty. Jovy C. Bernabe, Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) Deputy Executive Director Ma. Cristina G. Lopez, Cadiz City Mayor Salvador G. Escalante, Jr. and Vice Mayor John Vincent I. Escalante, EB Magalona Mayor Matthew Louis Malacon, Sagay City Mayor Leo Rafael M. Cueva, Silay City Mayor Joedith C. Gallego, and Valladolid Mayor Ricardo P. Presbitero, Jr. “Sa pamamagitan ng pakikipagtulungan sa LANDBANK at iba pa nating katuwang, titiyakin natin na ang benepisyo ng AGRISENSO Plus ay makarating sa lahat ng magsasaka at mangingisda, saan mang sulok ng bansa,” said DA Sec. Laurel. In 2024, Mayor Escalante shared his vision of transforming Cadiz and its neighboring towns into a primary agricultural hub in Negros Occidental, with the AGRISENSO Plus Program expected to play a vital role in realizing this vision by improving farmers’ access to affordable financing and agribusiness support. “LANDBANK has seen how our farmers continue to face so many challenges — from the recent eruption of Mt. Kanlaon, to the impact of climate change, unstable farmgate prices, and market access. This is why we designed AGRISENSO Plus to provide holistic and practical solutions to the challenges faced by our farmers and fisherfolk,” LANDBANK President and CEO Ortiz emphasized. Inclusive and holistic agri financing The Program, developed in partnership with the DA, ACPC, Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), National Irrigation Administration (NIA), and private sector partners, is a value chain-based financing initiative that provides holistic support to agricultural stakeholders, with simplified documentary requirements, free life and credit life insurance, and expanded access to technical and market support to help boost productivity and profitability. It offers a lowered fixed interest rate of only 3.0% per annum — down from 4.0% — for small farmers, fishers, and agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs), with competitive rates for their associations, cooperatives, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), large enterprises, anchor firms, and agriculture graduates. Complementing the Lending Program is the LANDBANK ASCEND (Agri-Fishery Support through Capability Enhancement for Nationwide Development), a capacity-building initiative that equips farmers and fishers with training in digital financial literacy, sustainable agriculture, and enterprise development. As of August 2025, LANDBANK has released ₱1.78 billion in loans under the AGRISENSO Plus Lending Program, supporting over 12,000 borrowers nationwide. The Negros Occidental rollout follows successful launches in Pampanga, Cagayan, Isabela, Batanes, Bukidnon, Iloilo, and Palawan. Strengthening partnerships for growth The Program also strengthens market linkages through partnerships with anchor firms such as Kita Agritech Corporation, Sarisuki Stores, Inc., TAO Foods Company, Inc., Yovel East Research and Development, Inc., Unified Tillers Agriculture Cooperative (UTAC), and Santeh Feeds Corporation. Agbeam Farms Incorporated recently joined this roster following the signing of a memorandum of agreement with LANDBANK on 20 October 2025 at LANDBANK Plaza in Manila. Agbeam Farms, which specializes in dragon fruit cultivation and processing, will provide end-to-end support to farmers—from land preparation and production to post-harvest processing and marketing—ensuring a complete and sustainable value chain for dragon fruit growers. Expanding digital convenience for farmers and MSMEs Further advancing its digitalization efforts, LANDBANK successfully piloted the first provincial rollout of its Person-to-Merchant (P2M) QR payment facility in Negros Occidental. The P2M facility delivers a two-fold benefit for both consumers and LANDBANK-accredited merchants. It is an interoperable payment channel that allows consumers to avail of free transfer fees for purchases worth ₱500 and below when paying via QRPh-P2M using the LANDBANK Mobile Banking App (MBA), other banking apps, or digital wallets. Meanwhile, participating merchants benefit from waived merchant fees for every transaction. This digital innovation further empowers farmers and MSMEs by offering a faster, more convenient, and secure way to receive payments, while reducing their reliance on cash transactions and promoting wider digital adoption across agricultural communities. Business owners can enroll their existing LANDBANK accounts, with P2M activation completed within just 24 to 48 hours. ABOUT LANDBANK LANDBANK is the largest development financial institution in the country promoting financial inclusion, digital transformation, and sustainable national development. Present in all 82 provinces in the county, the Bank is committed to provide accessible and responsive financial solutions to empower Filipinos from countryside to countrywide.
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LANDBANK expands reach in Negros Occidental with new one-stop hub
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