Countryside Loan Fund (CLF): an assessment of the role of the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) World Bank (WB) - funded program in countryside development
This study focuses on the Countryside Loan Fund program, a World Bank facility, and its role in the fulfillment of Land Bank of the Philippines mission to promote countryside development. Data on the CLF portfolio in terms of loan amounts disbursed to the countryside since its implementation in 1992 up to 2003, employment generated across the regions, and releases to LBP's priority sectors were obtained from the program's Participating Financial Institutions. These institutions are the conduits for the dispersal by LBP of the CLF to the countryside. Using historical data on loan releases between 1992 and 2003, the T-test was applied to determine if LBP adopted a preferential treatment of agricultural lending over non-agricultural loans across the regions. The bivariate regression analysis was used to find out if the dispersal of the CLF loan portfolio had any influence on employment generated across the regions. Results showed that the CLF has had a positive impact in providing credit assistance available to the rural sector, which is an important input to production. The CLF has led to the creation of agriculture and non- agriculture projects, and most significantly, has contributed to the creation of employment across the regions. Moreover, the complementary inputs such as private financial institutions'services increase the chances of reducing poverty incidence in the rural sector and promoting the rural sector's growth and development.