MANILA -- The Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) wrapped-up 2022 with the opening of four (4) new Agri-Hubs located in the provinces of Oriental Mindoro, Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental, expanding its physical touchpoints to better serve farmers and fishers in the country.

The state-run bank established the four Agri-Hubs in the last week of December, which will provide combined services of banking, lending and agrarian services to the country’s top rice-producing provinces, including unbanked and underserved rice farming areas.

“Our continued expansion of LANDBANK Agri-Hubs across the country forms part of our commitment to deliver responsive and timely financial services to the agriculture sector, especially to small farmers and fishers. We strive to make our banking products and services more accessible especially in underserved areas to help boost agricultural production and build stronger local communities,” said LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo.

LANDBANK opened its 13th Agri-Hub in the country in Plaridel, Misamis Occidental, to primarily serve over 23,000 farmers and fishers within the municipality and its neighboring town of Lopez Jaena under the leadership of Plaridel Agri-Hub Head Deborah L. Dalid.

Plaridel Vice Mayor Neite Gornez and LANDBANK Calamba (Misamis Occidental) Branch Manager Gina P. Baliton graced the opening of the Plaridel Agri-Hub on 26 December 2022.

LANDBANK established another Agri-Hub in Claveria, Misamis Oriental, to cater to the banking requirements of more than 13,000 farmers and fishers in the municipality. Claveria Mayor Meraluna L. Salvaleon-Abrogar, Vice Mayor Reynante L. Salvaleon, LANDBANK Vice Presidents Lina K. Pacio and Jimmy P. Arco, and Claveria Agri-Hub Head Marlita M. Cagas led the opening of the Claveria Agri-Hub on 28 December 2022.

Meanwhile, the Agri-Hub in San Fernando, Bukidnon was inaugurated on 29 December 2022 by San Fernando Mayor Rogelio C. Yeke, Vice Mayor Levi C. Edma, LANDBANK Valencia Branch Head Madelyn A. Rodriguez and San Fernando Agri-Hub Head Agnesita M. Llauder to service the municipality’s 24 barangays, including 11,000 farmers and fishers.

On the same day, a LANDBANK Agri-Hub in Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro was opened by Bongabong Mayor Elegio A. Malaluan, Vice Mayor Richard S. Candelario, LANDBANK Pinamalayan Branch Head Lizza Mae F. Camposano and Bongabong Agri-Hub OIC May Fatima Torres, to provide accessible financial services mainly to the 12,233 farmers and fishers in Bongabong.

They were joined by Calapan Branch Head Ferdinand E. Abas, Roxas Mindoro Branch Head Lolita V. Apostol, Oriental Mindoro Lending Center OIC Elisa A. Laudencia, and Agrarian Operations Center IV Representative Henrich M. Ibaña.

LANDBANK Agri-Hubs offer banking services such as account opening, withdrawals, and check encashments; lending services such as the processing of loan applications; and agrarian services such as processing of Agrarian Reform (AR) bonds and handling of agrarian-related concerns from landowners, bondholders, and agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).

The opening of LANDBANK’s new Agri-Hubs raises the total number of the Bank’s Agri-Hubs in the country to 16, complementing the Bank’s 607 Branches and 58 Lending Centers nationwide, as of end-December 2022. (LANDBANK)