BPI Direct BanKo, Inc. (BanKo) and Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF) have expanded their partnership to provide accessible, sustainable financing to Filipino onion farmers under the Foundation’s Farmer Entrepreneurship Program.
The program targets farmers aged 23–67 at loan maturity, with a mobile phone, clean credit record, and membership in a cooperative or association that has supplied the Jollibee Group for at least two years. Loans are tailored to crop cycles, with competitive rates and fast processing—funds can be used for seeds, fertilizer, equipment, land preparation, and harvest costs.
So far, over 200 farmers in Nueva Ecija and Ilocos Sur have received a total of ₱24.8 million in loans. The initiative helps solve the credit gap many smallholders face, reducing reliance on high-interest informal lenders while linking producers to steady markets.
“Through this partnership, we deliver financing that fits farmers’ needs,” said BanKo president Rod Mabiasen Jr. “When farmers thrive, communities prosper.”
JGF prrsident Gisela Tiongson noted the collaboration connects farmers to both capital and institutional buyers, boosting productivity and food security. Moving forward, the plan is to add more provinces and extend support to other crops like bell peppers.
