Loan offered for Palawan's cold storage facilities

The Department of Agriculture has encouraged fisherfolk cooperatives to avail of low interest loans from government to put up cold storage facilities in strategic areas of the province. Agriculture secretary Emmanuel Piñol, who visited the province last week, offered to help put up an estimated P5 million cold storage facility that could be funded by a loan from the Agricultural Credit Policy Council, an attached agency of DA. “Nakita nating malaki ang nasasayang na huling isda dahil sa kakulangan ng ice plant. Kung mag-qualify ang inyong bayan ay maglagay tayo ng P4 million o P5 million worth ng facility at kayo cooperative or fisherfolk association ang magpatakbo, kayo na rin magpili ng inyong suppliers,” he said. He explained that fisherfolks availing of DA’s credit financing for the project is faster compared to the government directly undertaking the project because of the tedious government procurement process. “Ang tagal ng proseso, bidding pa kung sa gobyerno,” he said. Piñol explained that the Production Loan Easy Access (PLEA) Program of their agency is both for small farmers and fisherfolks to ensure sustained growth in the farming and fishery sector, support the aggressive marketing campaign of Philippine products, revitalize the rural economy and address poverty in the countryside. “Ito ay may six percent interest rate, but Senator Villar proposes na maging two percent nalang. Payable kahit hanggang 8 years,” he said.