The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources XI hosted the Regional Credit Forum, highlighting the 25th Davao AgriTrade Expo.

The forum aims to provide an avenue for our stakeholders to exchange information, create credit linkages, and access credit programs from our government financing institutions. It also encourages our Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises to venture into a profitable and sustainable fishery-based business. The event was held on September 29, 2023, at SMX Convention Center, Davao City.

The event brought together the Land Bank of the Philippines, the Agricultural Credit Policy Council, the various Local Government Units in the region, the fisherfolk, and the fishery-based entrepreneurs to discuss and share insights. It was also an opportunity to clarify the procedure for applying for the available credit programs. A one-on-one consultation was also conducted after the presentations to individually address the participants’ issues and concerns.

RD Raul C. Millana in his speech read by the Fisheries Production and Support Services Division Officer-In-Charge Elisa E. Pil, congratulated the Davao AgriTrade Expo for its 25th year of staging the biggest and longest-running AgriTrade Expo in the Southern Philippines.

“We recognize and thank you for the extensive platform provided by DATE in informing the people of the advantages and opportunities in the fisheries sector. We encourage fisheries stakeholders to venture into profitable, emerging, and sustainable fishery-based endeavors through credit financing.” Director Millana added.

Head of BFAR XI-Post-Harvest and Marketing Section Sharon Mateo-Baidiango hoped that the event had been fruitful, had provided a better understanding of the procedure for availing of credit, and had resolved the issues and concerns relating to their credit.