On July 8, Phadelyn, our head field worker, and I (Analyn) went to the coastal barangay of Alangilan in Negros Oriental to conduct a field visit and interview livelihood loan applicants. The interviews took place at the home of Ludelyn Jimenez who is both the subject of  this proposal and our volunteer in collecting loan repayments in the area. We had ten applicants on this day - five new applicants and five for re-loans. As is our custom, Phadelyn conducted an orientation to the new applicants and and I interviewed the re-loan applicants. Subsequently, I interviewed the five new applicants after they had had their orientation.

 

Ludelyn (39), is one of the repeat loan applicants. She and her live-in partner Godie (44) have six children aged 6 to 15 years old. I first came to know Ludelyn when we helped her with a grant to undergo surgery for the removal of a tumour in her cheeks in late 2022. It is wonderful to see the transformation in her looks today as I remember her prior to the surgery when she was severely disfigured.

 

Ludelyn is a banana trader bananas; she gets her stocks from her farm when it is harvest season as well as from three other banana farmers. Her average monthly income from this venture is 5,000 pesos ($80). Godie works as a sugarcane truck driver during the harvest season and earns an average of 10,000 pesos ($160) a month. In the other months, Godie together with Ludelyn tend to their one hectare banana farm.

 

The recent harvest on Ludelyn’s farm was in early June and she was most thankful for the income as she was able to meet the needs of her children who are all in school; three of whom are in elementary and three are in junior high school. However, she was left with no money to pay for the expenses of another cropping and it is for this reason that Ludelyn is applying for a loan again.

 

Banana plants typically bear fruit once per year, however, they naturally reproduce through suckers that grow from the base of the mother plant. These suckers develop into new fruiting plants, allowing the plantation to continue producing without the need to replant the entire area. Replanting is generally only necessary for plants that die, become diseased, or produce weak or poor-quality suckers. Sadly, due to the extreme heat these past few months, Ludelyn’s farm has had significant losses in banana suckers thus replanting is needed. 

 

The loan will be used to buy 12 sacks of fertilisers at 2,000 pesos ($32) per sack and the balance will be used to pay the three labourers who will help her and Godie and with weeding and planting. At the time of writing this proposal, Ludelyn has informed me that the area has now experienced rainfall. This improvement in weather conditions is expected to enhance soil moisture making it more suitable for planting. 

 

Ludelyn is most grateful for the loan and the other assistance we have extended to her over the years and we wish her every success with her banana cultivation and trading.

 

 

Analyn Gallibot

PSHF Negros Oriental

September 2026