STATE-RUN Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) has provided financial and relief assistance to communities in Davao Oriental and Cebu affected by recent earthquakes.
In a statement, LandBank said it extended P3.2 million in financial aid and P3.1 million worth of relief packs during simultaneous operations led by Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto and LandBank President and Chief Executive Officer Lynette V. Ortiz on October 23.
In Davao Oriental, LandBank turned over P500,000 to the provincial government and P200,000 each to the City of Mati and Municipality of Manay.
The bank also distributed 1,000 grocery packs to displaced families, funded partly by employee donations.
Meanwhile, in Cebu, LandBank disbursed P2.3 million in financial aid to 11 municipalities, including P500,000 each to Medellin, San Remigio and Daanbantayan, and P100,000 each to Tabogon, Tabuelan, Sogod, Borbon, Catmon, Bantayan, Sta. Fe and Madridejos.
About 2,600 relief packs were also turned over to local social welfare offices in these areas and in Bogo City.
The bank said the latest initiative builds on its earlier relief efforts, which included P4.9 million in aid for Cebu, Bogo City and Masbate, along with 2,000 food packs, 32 portable water filtration systems and the deployment of mobile ATMs to restore financial access in affected areas.
‘LandBank remains steadfast in providing timely assistance to our fellow Filipinos during times of crisis. Beyond immediate relief, we are equally focused on supporting the long-term recovery and rebuilding of affected communities,’ Ortiz said.
Beyond relief operations, LandBank also rolled out financial programs to support long-term recovery, such as the Cares Plus for MSMEs and cooperatives, Electronic Salary Loan, EasyCash for Emergencies, PeER Loan for pensioners and government employees, and Emergency Loans of up to P25,000.
‘Today, we bring the assurance that we have the means, the resources, and the resolve to support every community affected. We have enough funds to respond quickly, to rebuild, and to come back stronger,’ Recto said in his message.
LandBank is among the first to respond to DOF Circular 003-2025, which ordered all government financial institutions and state-run corporations to immediately deploy relief operations to calamity-hit areas.
Following this order, the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and the Social Security System (SSS) provided emergency and calamity loans to qualified members and pensioners.
In a separate statement, the Department of Finance said GSIS released P187.68 million in loans to 6,394 members, while SSS disbursed P639.52 million to 38,852 members as of October 6.
The Home Development Mutual Fund, or Pag-IBIG Fund, also extended calamity loans and insurance claims to housing loan borrowers, while LandBank facilitated salary loans for employees and recovery financing for farmers, fishers, MSMEs, cooperatives, and utilities affected by the disaster.
Further, the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation activated coverage for quake-hit farmers, and the Small Business Corporation rolled out rehabilitation financing for MSMEs.
Other state-run firms, including the National Food Authority, Light Rail Transit Authority, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, also mobilized relief operations, distributing food packs, bottled water, hygiene kits and medical supplies.