The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) approves the conduct of the 2021 Countryside Bank Survey (CBS) of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC).

The CBS aims to validate, on an annual basis, macro-level institutional data, trend, and issues on banks’ lending for agriculture. It is also envisioned to be an important source of data on agricultural and rural credit conditions in order to develop policies to encourage higher investments of banks and increase access of farmers to financial services towards inclusive development. The survey will also collect first-hand information on banks’ current behavior towards agricultural credit and emerging concerns such as the effects of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Major data items that will be gathered in the survey includes the following:

a. agricultural loans granted and number of agricultural borrowers;
b. demand for agricultural loans;
c. sources of funds for lending to agriculture;
d. interest rates and other costs of lending to agriculture;
e. borrowers’ repayment and debt position;
f. risk management;
g. profitability;
h. challenges and effects of COVID-19 pandemic; and
i. plans and prospects for agricultural loans.

The 2021 CBS will utilize a total budget of PhP 570 thousand which will be used to collect data from 2,500 countryside banks in all regions (except National Capital Region) from the last week of December 2021 to January 2022. The results of the survey are scheduled to be released on 08 to 15 March 2021.

This survey was reviewed and cleared for conduct under the Statistical Survey Review and Clearance System (SSRCS), a mechanism being implemented by the PSA by virtue of Rule 28 of Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 10625 to:

a. ensure sound design for data collection;
b. minimize the burden placed upon respondents;
c. effect economy in statistical data collection;
d. eliminate unnecessary duplication of statistical data collection efforts; and
e. achieve better coordination of government statistical activities.

In line with this, the PSA enjoins the countryside banks to support the CBS by providing the required information.

For further information on SSRCS, please contact the Statistical Standards Division of the Standards Service with telephone numbers (02) 8376-1928 and (02) 8376-1931, and email addresses ssd.staff@psa.gov.ph or ssdss.staff@gmail.com.

DENNIS S. MAPA, Ph.D.
Undersecretary
National Statistician and Civil Registrar General