MANILA — State-run Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) has rolled out a series of initiatives in Northern Luzon aimed at boosting agricultural productivity, supporting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and promoting digital financial inclusion.

The activities, held from March 17 to 19, covered parts of Cagayan and Nueva Vizcaya, beginning with the launch of the Agrisenso Plus Lending Program in Tuguegarao City and Lal-lo, followed by an MSME fair, and a cash-lite campus initiative.

The Agrisenso Plus and MSME Fair events drew around 1,200 farmers, fishers, and agrarian reform beneficiaries, along with more than 200 MSME representatives. The events served as a venue for participants to access financing services, financial education, and market linkages.

“LANDBANK’s goal is to ensure that farmers and local entrepreneurs of Cagayan have the capital and the confidence to scale their operations. By bringing our financial services closer to the ground, we empower primary producers and small businesses to become more resilient, productive, and competitive in today’s market,” said LANDBANK President and CEO Lynette V. Ortiz.

The Agrisenso Plus program provides a lending facility for farmers, fishers, and agri-entrepreneurs, offering a fixed interest rate of 3% per annum and flexible terms that cover the entire agricultural value chain. As of February 2026, the program has released ₱3.46 billion in loans to more than 14,900 borrowers nationwide.

Complementing this is the ASCEND Program, which provides capacity-building support, including digital financial education, sustainable farming practices, and enterprise development for small-scale producers.

“LANDBANK’s initiative strengthens our collective commitment to empower farmers, fisherfolks, and rural enterprises. This will remain at the heart of our province’s journey towards inclusive development that will be truly felt by our people,” said Cagayan Governor Edgar ‘Egay’ Aglipay.

The Agdur-as MSME Fair also provided entrepreneurs access to various banking services, including financing options under the LIFTING MSMEs Lending Program, which supports working capital, equipment acquisition, and business expansion.

MSME clients were likewise introduced to the SULONG MSME Solution Suite, which integrates deposit and digital banking services for transactions such as payments, payroll, collections, and government contributions. Sole proprietors may open accounts through the LANDBANK Mobile Banking App and receive one year of free life and accident insurance upon availing of a loan.

“Dati, share capital lang ang gamit namin. Ngayon, may pagkakataon na kaming makapag-loan para sa pang-kapital at expansion ng aming business,” said mushroom producers Aida Valdez and Dominica Binuya.

“Yung mga dala naming products, mismong doon pumasok ang bayad sa account, at pati sa bayad ng mga members namin sa share capital, direkta na sa aming LANDBANK account,” they added.

Meanwhile, LANDBANK also introduced its Cash-Lite Campus Initiative at Nueva Vizcaya State University, benefiting nearly 3,000 students and campus stakeholders by enabling cashless payments for school-related transactions.

Nationwide, the initiative has reached more than 12,500 students and personnel, promoting safer and more efficient financial transactions in academic institutions.

“Not only has Cash-lite made transactions easier and food handling safer, it also boosts our confidence as business owners knowing our systems are digitized and secure,” said Jion Carl Redoña, a food concessionaire at the university.

LANDBANK said it plans to expand these programs to more regions in 2026 as part of efforts to further support farmers, entrepreneurs, and students nationwide.