(Seated) Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles (5th from left) leads the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the national government’s Expanded Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) Program. Signatories to the MOU include (seated, L-R) LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo, NIA Admin. Ricardo Visaya, TESDA Sec. Isidro Lapeña, DAR Sec. John Castriciones, DSWD Sec. Rolando Bautista, DA Sec. William Dar, POPCOM Deputy Exec. Dir. Lolito Tacardon, (standing, L-R) DTI Sec. Ramon Lopez, NNC Exec. Dir. Azucena Dayanghirang, DOH Sec. Francisco Duque III, DILG Sec. Eduardo Año, DepEd Sec. Leonor Briones, DOST Usec. Brenda Nazareth-Manzano, NAPC Sec. Noel Felongco, WFP Philippines Deputy County Dir. Mats Persson, and UN FAO Asst. Rep.Tamara Palis-Duran.
The Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) has officially joined the Expanded Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) Program—a collaborative government initiative designed to mitigate hunger, promote food security, and reduce poverty in the country by year 2030.
Together with Cabinet members and senior government officials, LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to formalize the Bank’s participation last December 9 in Malacañang, Manila.
“We are honored to collaborate and contribute to this concerted endeavor against hunger and poverty. Our participation in the EPAHP Program complements our efforts to find new ways to reach and help underserved and underprivileged areas. This is once again an opportunity for us to support and participate in the National Government’s community-building programs,” President Borromeo said.
Under the MOU, LANDBANK is tasked to provide credit support to community-based organizations (CBOs) for food production, processing, and marketing, which is consistent with its mandate to spur inclusive and sustainable development in rural communities and marginalized areas.
LANDBANK will extend credit assistance to eligible CBOs such as cooperatives, agrarian reform beneficiary organizations, small water impounding systems associations, irrigators associations, day care services parents groups, smallholder farmer associations, fishers organizations, and people’s organizations, among others.
The EPAHP initiative aims to contribute in addressing hunger and poverty in the country by converging relevant programs of participating government agencies to maximize results for the benefit of the poor and marginalized.
Through the MOU signing, LANDBANK officially joins the EPAHP Program team alongside the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM).
LANDBANK unveils mobile savings account opening service
Clients can now successfully open a savings account with Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) using their mobile phone at their own safety and convenience without the need to go to a LANDBANK branch. The state-run Bank launched the Digital On-Boarding System Mobile or DOBS Mobile on May 12, 2021, which facilitates online savings account opening in as fast as 10 to 15 minutes without even having to visit any of its branches. Using the LANDBANK Mobile Banking App (MBA) available on Google Play Store or Apple App Store, interested clients need only to fill out application forms online and upload a valid identification card such as UMID, Passport, PRC ID, SSS, company ID or even school ID to open a digital LANDBANK ATM Savings Account. The LANDBANK DOBS Mobile eliminates the need to line up in branches to open an account, in support of the National Government’s Ease of Doing Business (EODB) initiative, as well as safety protocols amid the ongoing pandemic. “The DOBS Mobile underscores LANDBANK’s continued commitment to provide accessible, convenient, and safe digital solutions. Our digital banking initiatives remain centered on balancing service delivery while ensuring the health and safety of our clients which is of utmost priority,” said LANDBANK Branch Banking Sector Head, Executive Vice President Julio D. Climaco, Jr. The digital bank account opened using the LANDBANK DOBS Mobile offers features such as cardless withdrawal via the mobile app, and funds transfer and bills payment through both the MBA and the LANDBANK iAccess, among others. Clients can also upgrade the digital bank account to a regular LANDBANK Visa Debit Card by visiting their branch of account and requesting for a physical card anytime. LANDBANK as a trailblazer in digital banking Prior to the launch of the DOBS Mobile, LANDBANK introduced DOBS in December 2018 as the first online account opening portal among universal banks in the Philippines. This pioneering web application raked in various accolades for the Bank, such as the Merit Award for Technology Development by the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP) Development Awards in 2020; “Asia’s Most Inclusive Bank” in the 2019 Financial Insights Innovation Awards; and the “Digital Trailblazer in Financial Services” award conferred by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). As of April 30, 2021, a total of 1.53 million accounts have already been opened through DOBS, which is accessible through LANDBANK’s official website (www.landbank.com) or through the Digital Corner of selected LANDBANK branches for walk-in clients. For more information about LANDBANK’s e-banking services, clients may follow the Bank’s official social media channels at @landbankofficial on Facebook and Instagram, @LBP_Official on Twitter, and @LANDBANK on Viber.
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LANDBANK scores in LinkedIn’s list of best PH companies
State-run Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) is ranked as one of the top 15 companies of the country—and the only government agency—to make it on LinkedIn’s list of best companies to grow one’s career. The global business and professional networking platform recently released its first-ever 2021 LinkedIn Top Companies list in the Philippines showing LANDBANK as among the best companies that “help employees build a professional foundation that sets them up for success both at the company and beyond.” LinkedIn based the list on seven key factors seen to lead to career progression, namely, (1) ability to advance, (2) skills growth, (3) company stability, (4) external opportunity, (5) company affinity, (6) gender diversity, and (7) educational background. “This recognition from LinkedIn affirms LANDBANK’s commitment to support our employees who are our most valuable asset. In LANDBANK, we endeavor to build a culture of service excellence where our employees flourish professionally, and deliver delightful service to our customers,” said LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo. LANDBANK said that the seven factors used for the LinkedIn ranking are consistent with the Bank’s efforts to invest in employee success, career development, and equity and inclusion, to ensure it maintains its reputation as an employer of choice. The Bank also prioritizes employees through the implementation of various policies centered on physical and mental wellness, as well as training and development programs. LANDBANK’s mission-vision is imbedded with its commitment to its employees to “develop and nurture talents who exemplify the highest standards of ethics, social responsibility and service excellence,” and “support diversity and cultivate a healthy work environment with equal opportunity for professional growth and advancement.” For more information about LANDBANK’s customer service channels, clients may follow the Bank’s official social media channels at @landbankofficial on Facebook and Instagram, @LBP_Official on Twitter, and @LANDBANK on Viber.
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LANDBANK vows continued support to agri sector amid COVID-19 as loans reach P229.7-B in Q1
The Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) conveyed its steadfast commitment to provide responsive financing to farmers, fishers, and other players in the agribusiness value chain during the culmination of its Online Stakeholder’s Consultation Forum on April 22, 2021. LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo assured stakeholders of the Bank’s continued efforts in addressing emerging challenges and issues faced by clients in accessing agricultural credit amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “We welcome the issues raised and suggestions gathered from clients during the focus group discussions, and we commit to provide direct and time-bound solutions. Listening to the voice of the customer is high in our agenda as it helps us improve on the delivery of our products and services,” according to Borromeo. The Online Stakeholder’s Consultation Forum was conducted last March as a venue for knowledge sharing on concrete actions that will help LANDBANK improve the accessibility of its lending products and services, especially under the new normal. Online survey and focus group discussions were conducted to gain insights and suggestions from farmers and fishers, agri-input suppliers, aggregators and traders, processors, and wholesalers and exporters. The plenary session of the online forum was also attended by the LANDBANK Board of Directors and their alternates, namely Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William D. Dar, Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Undersecretary Luis Meinrado C. Pañgulayan, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Benjo Santos M. Benavidez, Director Nancy D. Irlanda, Director Jesus V. Hinlo, Jr., Director Jaime L. Miralles, and Director Virgilio DV. Robes. Support to agriculture sector As of March 31, 2021, LANDBANK’s total loan portfolio to the agriculture sector grew by 4.8% to P229.70 billion from P219.24 billion last February. The increase is primarily attributed to a 9.5% rise in loans released to small, medium and large enterprises. This developed despite a recent report from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) that total outstanding loans of universal and commercial banks for production to agriculture, forestry, and fishing fell by 6.1% year-on-year in February. Of the P229.70 billion in total outstanding loans to the sector, P36.27 billion benefitted small farmers and fishers, cooperatives and farmers’ associations, rural financial institutions and other conduits. Small, medium, and large agribusiness enterprises were granted P143.11 billion, while P50.32 billion was channeled to support agri-aqua related projects of local government units (LGUs) as we as that of government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs). LANDBANK has assisted cumulatively 2,696,839 farmers and fishers nationwide as of end-March, recording increases of 14,147 beneficiaries from February and 25,990 for the first three months of the year. Just recently, LANDBANK announced it is doubling the available loan facility to support local hog producers and feed millers from P15 billion to P30 billion to finance stock repopulation and feed milling operations of stakeholders reeling from the adverse impact of the African Swine Fever (ASF). The funds will be available through the LANDBANK SWINE (Special Window and Interim Support to Nurture Hog Enterprises) Lending Program for commercial hog raisers registered as cooperatives or farmers’ associations, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and large enterprises or corporations. This came following the directive from Department of Finance Secretary and LANDBANK Chairman Carlos Dominguez III for the state lender to double its support for hog raisers, feed millers, and other industry players dealing with supply shortfalls and retail price spirals of pork products. For more updates, please follow the official LANDBANK Facebook, Instagram and YouTube accounts (@landbankofficial), and Twitter (@LBP_Official); join our Viber community (@LANDBANK); or visit the LANDBANK website (www.landbank.com).
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