The Department of Agriculture (DA), led by Secretary William D. Dar, led the rollout of the Swine Repopulation, Rehabilitation and Recovery (Swine R3) Credit Program in CALABARZON on July 8.

This credit program under DA’s Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion (INSPIRE) Program aims to provide loan facilities, through the Development Bank of the Philippine (DBP), to public and private institutions solely intended for the establishment of bio-secured farm projects that includes farm machinery and equipment to help the hog raisers to ensure the prevention of African Swine Fever (ASF) and other viruses and diseases to enter or re-enter in their farm.

Private enterprises and even local government units (LGU) can loan up to P20-M with the Regular Developmental Loan of the credit program, while small enterprises like start-up commercial hog raisers can lend up to P15-M with the National Government-funded Programs.

“Malaking tulong ito dahil may dagdag kaming puhunan. May additional income na kami na gagamitin sa repopulation,” Ricardo G. Molinyawe, member of United Batangas Raiser Association, said.

“Ang pinaka-advantage ng credit program na ito ay may siguradong loan, may magus-supply, at may bibili rin ng swine,” Alvin Ong, Batangas Farms manager, added. #### (Reina Beatriz P. Peralta, DA-4A RAFIS)