President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. led the launch of the Agri-Puhunan at Pantawid (APP) Program at a gymnasium in Alabel, Sarangani on Friday, April 11, 2025.

Under the program, eligible farmer-borrowers can avail input credits amounting to P28,000 per hectare or more, to cover rice production costs per cropping season.

This can be accessed through an interventions monitoring card, which allows them to purchase farm inputs from accredited merchants.

“Hindi po lingid sa ating kaalaman ang mga pagsubok na patuloy na inyong hinaharap may ilan nga po sa inyo napipilitang umutang ng napakastaas na interest, isang sitwasyon lalo na nagpapabigat pa sa inyong pinagdadaanan. Bilang tugon ng pamahalaaan inilulunsad natin ang agri-puhunan at pantawid program… sa ilalim ng Agri-Puhunan at Pantawid Program maaari na po kayong makahiram ng puhunan hanggang P60,000 sa mababang interes na 2% kada taon,” Marcos said.

Beneficiaries may also avail a cash advance of P8,000 to be distributed weekly each month to cover possible labor expenses for rice production.

The President said that the loans can be repaid to the government through a portion of farmer’s harvest.

He said this will also help achieve a low rice price.

“Simula Ngayon, di nyo na kakailangang alalahanin ang mataas na tubo na nakakaakibat sa inyong hinihirap. Maaari ninyo itong bayaran sa pamamagitan ng pagbebenta ng inyong ani sa National Food Authority, sa mga DA-accredited cooperatives din. Itong mga ani naman ito ay siyang sumusuporta sa atin sa mga programa para sa sapat at mababang presyo ng bigas,” Marcos said.

During the activity, the number of beneficiaries reached 1,496 from Sarangani, South Cotabato, Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat.

The national government also distributed agriculture machinery amounting to P884 million, including corn shellers, tractors, hauling trucks, and incubators, to farmer organizations in SOCCSKSARGEN.