Department of Agriculture(DA)

November 30, 2018 Dear Sofio Ortega, Greetings! Thank you for your request dated Nov 24, 2018 10:57:28 PM under Executive Order No. 2 (s. 2016) on Freedom of Information in the Executive Branch. Your Request You asked for Programs for farmers in the province of Samar. Response to Request Your FOI request is approved. I enclose a copy of [some/most/all] of the information you requested. Last November 26, Agriculture Secretary Manny F. Piñol went to Jipapad, Samar, after Tropical Depression (TD) Samuel rendered the whole town flooded with heavy rains. During his visit, he commited P30 million to help the farmers move on from the calamity brought by TD Samuel. For the full story, please click link below: https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1015602 http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1055058 Aside from that, Sec. Piñol went to Samar last April to turn over P4.3 million (M) worth of agri-fishery interventions to the municipality of Mapanas, Northern Samar For full story, please click link below: http://www.da.gov.ph/mapanas-in-northern-samar-receives-p4-3m-assistance/ The Department of Agriculture, thru Agricultural Credit Policy Council (DA-ACPC), also implemented Survival and Recovery Loan (SURE) program for those farmers affected by typhoon. The Survival and Recovery (SURE) Loan Assistance aims to: 1. Support the government’s goal of helping agricultural households in calamity-affected areas regain their capacity to earn a living; and 2. Provide immediate relief to small farmers and fisherfolk (SFF) through loan and emergency assistance package. Eligible Farmer/Fisherfolk Borrowers: -Small farmers and fisherfolk whose livelihood was affected by the calamity Eligible Lending Conduits: -Partner financial institutions/conduits currently accredited and/or participating under any of the existing DA/ACPC credit and financing programs. In areas where DA/ACPC has no partner-financial institutions that can be tapped, other institutions may be selected by the program provided that they have juridical personality and exhibited capability to disburse and collect loans. Type of Loan Assistance and Purpose: Recovery Assistance (Loan) 1. To finance the requirements of rehabilitating his/her farming and/or fishing or livelihood activities 2. Includes production inputs, repair of farm/fishery assets, acquisition of livestock/work animals. Loan Amount: Recovery Assistance (Loan) Up to P25,000.00 per borrower Loan Term: 1. To be determined by the lending conduit depending on the gestation of the project financed and capacity of the borrower to repay the loan but not to exceed 3 years Interest Charge: 0% interest charge For Samar, Sec. Piñol alloted 10M for the implementation of SURE program. Please see link for the full details of SURE: http://www.acpc.gov.ph/sure/ Your right to request a review If you are unhappy with this response to your FOI request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response by writing to Agriculture Secretary Manny F. Piñol. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made within 15 calendar days from the date when you received this letter. We will complete the review and tell you the result within 30 calendar days from the date when we receive your review request. If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Office of the President under Administrative Order No. 22 (s. 2011). Thank you. Respectfully, AFID FOI Receiving Officer