Turning challenges into opportunities. Amid the African Swine Fever outbreak, Jerome Trofeo successfully expanded his meat shop business into a commercial swine farm through a P24-million loan from LANDBANK, and has helped strengthen local swine production to meet the demand for pork in the country. 

LIPA, Batangas – Spouses Jerome and Anna Trofeo were having trouble sourcing healthy hogs to meet their customers’ requirements two years ago, with the African Swine Fever significantly affecting hog growers nationwide. 

Determined to keep their “Annie & Jerome Trofeo” meat stall running, Anna decided to expand their business and establish their own commercial swine farm. 

The couple turned to the Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) for financial assistance to make the business pivot that actually paid off. 

“Nagkaroon ng time noon na hindi sapat ang supply ng baboy para matugunan ang orders ng aming customers. Kaya nag-desisyon kami na magtayo ng sarili naming piggery,” said Jerome.

LANDBANK approved a P24-million loan line to finance the requirements of their start-up commercial swine farm, AJ Piggery Farm, under the Bank’s SWINE (Special Window and Interim Support to Nurture Hog Enterprises) Lending Program. 
Of the total amount, P20 million financed the construction of three piggery buildings to separately house nursery, farrowing and gestation pens, as well as support facilities that include an office and staff quarters. 

The loan also covered the construction of a manure lagoon and waste water treatment facility to minimize the environmental impact of the farm, while the remaining P4 million financed the acquisition of young female hogs for breeding. 

The AJ Piggery Farm produces healthy hogs for the ‘Annie & Jerome Trofeo’ meat stall in Lipa City Public Market, which caters to the pork requirements of meat retailers and two local supermarkets.

With the opening of AJ Piggery Farm, the couple’s meat stall is able sell around 900 kilograms of pork per day to accommodate the demand of meat retailers. 

The stall is also able to supply around 1,650 kilograms of pork per week to two (2) local supermarkets in Laguna and Batangas, thereby increasing the meat shop’s income to around P500,000.00 to P600,000.00 per month from the previous P300,000.00. 

“Sa tulong ng LANDBANK, talagang lumago ang aming negosyo. Mula sa pagkakaroon ng isang stall sa palengke ay nagkaroon na rin kami ng sarili naming pig farm. Malaki ang aming pasasalamat sa kanila,” said Jerome. 

Supporting the local swine industry 

In support of the National Government’s efforts to re-populate and increase hog production, LANDBANK has approved a total of P8.05 billion in loans to 36 borrowers under the SWINE Lending Program as of end-June 2023.
 
The loans financed projects for swine production, including the purchase of hogs and feeds, construction and expansion of facilities such as piggery buildings, and working capital, among others. 

Commercial hog raisers registered as cooperatives or farmers’ associations, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and large enterprises or corporations may borrow up to 80% of the total project. Start-up commercial swine farms may likewise avail of loans under the SWINE Lending Program. 

Loans for working capital and permanent working capital are payable up to one year and five years, respectively, while loans for fixed assets and construction of facilities are payable based on project cash flow but not more than its economic useful life.

LANDBANK launched the SWINE Lending Program in partnership with the Department of the Agriculture, designed to provide timely financial assistance to hog raisers towards sustaining and increasing pork production.