MANILA, Philippines – Maaaring magamit ang Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) para palakasin ang credit ratings ng agricultural sector sa panahon ng krisis upang hindi mahulog ang mga magsasaka at mangingisda sa mataas na interest at collateral, ayon kay Murang Kuryente party-list Rep. Arthur Yap.
Ani Yap nitong Huwebes, Abril 9, maaaring gamitin ng pamahalaan ang Maharlika funds para suportahan ang agricultural sector ngunit dapat na gamitin ito nang tama at may karunungan.
Sinabi pa ng mambabatas na hindi papalitan ng Maharlika fund ang private lenders o magiging subsidy fund ngunit magiging isang mekanismo na magpapalakas ng credit rating ng agricultural stakeholders upang makakuha sila ng mga pautang na ang terms ay pabor para sa mga magsasaka at mangingisda.
“Maharlika must be used. But it must be used correctly. It should stand at the tail end of the risk curve and answer only for catastrophic rural credit losses. The probability of total loss is low, but the presence of that protection can unlock scaled rural credit to millions,” sinabi ni Yap.
Ipinaliwanag pa nito na ang problema sa agricultural sector ay hindi ang kawalan ng magpapautang kundi ang mahirap na loan terms.
Kung walang pinabuting credit ratings, ang mga agricultural players ay walang mauutangan o kaya naman ay mag-aalok ng mataas na presyo at interest rates sa mga loan.
“Without a credible tail-risk layer, lenders either stay out, price loans too high, demand excessive collateral, or remain trapped at limited pilot scale. With the right reserve-backed mechanism in place, credit can move faster and deeper into farm production, helping protect yields, stabilize planting decisions, and support food supply,” ani Yap.
“That approach is consistent with Maharlika’s own stated focus on agriculture as a strategic investment area tied to food security, irrigation, agri-business growth, and supply-chain efficiency,” dagdag pa.
Para mangyari ito, ani Yap, ang Maharlika fund ay magiging “national escrow facility, first-loss reserve, or similar commercial credit-enhancement mechanism that covers only defined catastrophic outcomes.”
Nangangahulugan ito na ang mga magsasaka at iba pang manggagawa sa agricultural sector ay makakapangutang sa pamamagitan ng Maharlika fund sa halip na makatanggap ng dole-outs.
“In this structure, Maharlika does not replace private lenders and does not function as a subsidy fund. Instead, it strengthens the credit profile of agricultural lending so that much larger pools of private capital can enter the sector with confidence,” sinabi ni Yap.
“This is the more intelligent use of sovereign-backed capital: not to hand out money, but to make agricultural credit bankable at scale. Maharlika’s legal basis is as an investment fund managed by the Maharlika Investment Corporation, and MIC’s current public posture supports commercially oriented deployment into priority sectors, including agriculture,” dagdag pa niya. RNT/JGC
