(FIle PNA photo) BAGUIO CITY - The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on Thursday said it is exerting efforts to give farmers in Benguet easier and safer access to digital financial services through its "Paleng-QR" program. Noel Neil Malimban, BSP north Luzon regional director, said in an interview they are in constant communication with the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera Administrative Region to get both supplier-farmers and traders on board the "Paleng-QR" (a play on the words "palengke" or market and "quick response" or QR code). It aims to establish a seamless ecosystem on the use of digital payment from vendors or traders to the suppliers or farmers. Through the Paleng-QR program, the BSP also aims to teach farmers how to use digital platforms in a safe way to avoid scams, and to maximize the advantages of digital payments. "We have a program to get the farmers together, teach them, educate them on the complexities of the payment p
ECONOMIC CONDITION. Philippine Statistics Authority Cordillera Administrative Region Director Villafe Alibuyog reports on Thursday (April 28, 2022) that the region posted a 7.5-percent growth in its gross regional domestic product and expenditure. She said the growth was driven by three growth areas which included construction, manufacturing, and mining. (PNA photo by Liza T. Agoot) BAGUIO CITY - The Cordillera Administrative Region has recorded a 7.5-percent increase in its economic performance in 2021, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Thursday. In her situation report on CAR's economic performance, PSA-Cordillera regional director Villafe Alibuyog said the region "placed third nationwide in terms of growth". She said that from a -10.2 percent growth rate from 2019 to 2020, the region performed better from 2020 to 2021 with a 7.5-percent increase. In 2021, Cordillera logged a Gross Regional Domestic Product equivalent to PHP310 billion which is a leap from