Landbank and CHED Seal Strategic Partnership to Revolutionize Agricultural Education and Scholarship Systems
In a landmark move to advance agricultural education and modernize financial support for students, Landbank President and CEO Lynette V. Ortiz and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairperson Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis have formalized a comprehensive strategic partnership. The agreement was signed during the Higher Education Summit held on March 12, 2026, at the SMX Clark Convention Center in Angeles City, Pampanga.
Uniting Academic Excellence with Development Banking Expertise
The collaboration brings together CHED's extensive academic and research ecosystem with Landbank's development banking expertise to support priority areas that link education, agriculture, and financial inclusion. This partnership aims to create a more integrated system that addresses critical national development needs.
"By aligning CHED's educational mission with Landbank's development mandate, we lay the groundwork for a system that integrates academic excellence, agricultural modernization, digital transformation, and financial inclusion — all essential pillars of national development," stated Ortiz during the signing ceremony.
Six Priority Areas of Collaboration
The two institutions will collaborate across six key priority areas:
- Scholarship expansion to increase access to higher education
- Support for agri-entrepreneurship and innovation programs
- Climate-smart research collaboration between academic and banking sectors
- Strengthening the agri-industrial capacity of State Universities and Colleges (SUCs)
- Career development and workforce integration initiatives
- Digitalization of scholarship fund disbursements
Modernizing Scholarship Allowance Disbursements
A significant component of the partnership involves the full digitalization of scholarship allowance disbursements under CHED's programs. This modernization will allow nearly one million CHED scholars nationwide to receive their allowances faster, safer, and more conveniently through direct crediting to their bank accounts.
Beneficiaries may open accounts online via the Landbank Mobile Banking App or at any Landbank branch nationwide, eliminating traditional paper-based processes and reducing administrative delays.
Aligning with National Education Reform Agenda
Agrupis emphasized that the partnership aligns with the CHED A.C.H.I.E.V.E. Reform Agenda, which translates national higher education commitments into clear priorities. "Over the years, Landbank has been an important partner in helping government institutions like CHED to deliver programs more efficiently. This is no longer just routine coordination, but a more deliberate effort to identify where our mandates intersect and how our collaboration can translate into concrete support for our universities and students," she added.
Supporting Cash-Lite Campus Initiatives
The partnership also supports Landbank's Cash-Lite Campus Program, which has already benefited more than 12,500 students, personnel, and campus partners nationwide. This initiative continues to expand across colleges and universities, promoting digital financial transactions within educational institutions.
Witnessing the Historic Agreement
The signing ceremony was witnessed by key officials from both institutions, including Landbank Executive Vice President Marilou L. Villafranca and Senior Vice President Catherine Rowena B. Villanueva, along with CHED Executive Director Atty. Cinderella Filipina S. Benitez-Jaro and Commissioners Desiderio R. Apag III, Dr. Myrna Q. Mallari, and Dr. Michelle Aguilar-Ong.
This strategic alliance represents a significant step toward creating a more accessible, efficient, and modernized educational support system that bridges agricultural development with higher education opportunities across the Philippines.
