The Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) is simplifying access to emergency financing for farmers and fisherfolk hit by recent flooding, offering zero-interest, collateral-free loans that could be credited on the day of approval.
Through the Calamity Loan Component of its AGRI-RECOVER Program, qualified small farmers and fisherfolk registered with the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) may borrow up to P35,000, payable over as long as three years.
The program is designed to provide quick working capital to help affected producers restart farming, fishing, and other livelihood activities after disasters disrupt production.
ACPC has pared down the requirements to speed up access to credit. Applicants need only be registered with the RSBSA and have a valid bank or financial account where approved loan proceeds can be deposited.
The streamlined process is intended to allow the same-day crediting of approved loans, addressing a recurring problem for disaster-hit farmers and fisherfolk: assistance that arrives after the most urgent expenses have already piled up.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said affordable and accessible credit is critical not only in helping farmers and fisherfolk recover from disasters but also in improving productivity and protecting their livelihoods.
“In times of disaster, every day counts. By simplifying access to credit, we can help them get the funds they need faster, rebuild their livelihoods, and return to production quicker,” Tiu Laurel said.
For existing ACPC borrowers affected by flooding, the AGRI-RECOVER Program also provides loan restructuring and refinancing, as well as a possible moratorium on debt-service payments, subject to program guidelines.
The measures recognize that recovery is not simply about providing new money. Farmers and fisherfolk already carrying debt can find it difficult to restart production if repayments continue to fall due while crops, equipment, fishing operations, or other income sources are still being restored.
ACPC seeks to give affected borrowers more room to recover by combining fresh emergency financing with debt relief options.
The broader challenge is ensuring that credit remains accessible even after the immediate disaster response ends. For small farmers and fisherfolk, affordable financing can determine whether they can buy seeds, inputs, fuel, equipment, and other necessities needed to sustain production.
Fast disaster credit is more than emergency assistance. It is also a way to help keep farms and fishing communities productive when disruptions threaten both household incomes and food supply.
