President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.  is given 67 red roses by students for his 67th birthday during the launching of  the 'Agri-Puhunan at Pantawid' Program in Guimba, Nueva Ecija on Sept. 13, 2024. Marianne Bermudez, Malacanang Pool

MANILA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed his wish for a stronger Philippine agriculture sector as he celebrated his 67th birthday on Friday. 

“Birthday wish, marami ito, na talagang lahat ng bawat magsasaka sa Pilipinas maramdaman itong programang ito at lahat ng programa na ginagawa sa DA (Department of Agriculture),” he said during the launch of the Agripuhunan and Pantawid Program, a credit facility offering low-interest loans to farmers.

“Iyong buong sistema ng agrikultura, ay ang birthday wish ko, mabuo na natin para maganda ang takbo ng sektor ng agrikultura para gumanda ang buhay ng bawat magsasaka ng kanilang pamilya at ng bawat Pilipino,” he told reporters in Guimba, Nueva Ecija.

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Under the Agripuhunan and Pantawid Program, farmers will receive an interventions monitoring card that can be used to purchase seeds, fertilizers, and other farming equipment from accredited merchants,” Marcos noted. 

“Wala nang pangambang maloloko sa presyo. Wala nang alalahanin sa kakulangan ng pondo,” he said. 

Farmer beneficiaries will also receive P32,000 in financial aid, which the government will distribute in 4 tranches of P8,000 during the first week of the month in a span of 4 months.

“Layunin natin na matugunan ang ilang mga pangangailangan ng inyong pamilya habang kayo ay [naghihintay] sa pagtubo ng inyong mga pananim,” Marcos said.

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The President in his speech also paid tribute to Filipino farmers, who he called as pillars of society.

“Kayo ang bumubuhay sa ating bayan. Sa inyo nagmumula ang ating kasaganahan. Sa inyong mga kamay nakasalalay ang seguridad ng pagkain ng ating bansa,” he said.

“Nararapat lamang na gunitain natin at kilalanin natin ang inyong kabayanihan at bigyang-pugay ang inyong walang kapantay na kahusayan at kasipagan.”

CONDONED DEBTS 

Marcos later went to the Palayan City in Nueva Ecija to distribute some, where he led the distribution of Certificates of Condonation and Release of Mortgage (COCROMs) to around 6,000 agrarian reform beneficiaries. 

This amounts to P277 million in agrarian reform debts condoned by the government.

This marks the first distribution of Certificates of Condonation in Central Luzon since the New Agrarian Emancipation Act was signed into law in 2023. 

The law condones loans, including interests, penalties, and surcharges from lands awarded under the agrarian reform program.

“Sa pagkakawalang-bisa ng utang na ito, giginhawa ang buhay ng ating mga benepisyaryo. Hindi na kayo mangangamba sa pagbayad sa amortisasyon. Hindi na kayo matatakot na mawala pa ang lupang pinagkukunan ninyo ng pantustos sa pang-araw-araw. Maaari niyo nang gamitin ang perang pinanghuhulog niyo sa upa para sa inyong pangangailangan,” Marcos said.

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Central Luzon is the country’s largest contributor in agriculture production.

Aside from COCROMs, agri-credit checks amounting to P41 million were distributed to 12 ARB organizations. 

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