By Erwin Nicavera/PNA
BACOLOD CITY — A total of 18,005 enrolled rice and corn farmers in Negros Occidental received indemnity claims from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) amounting to almost PHP87 million in 2018.
Jose Ma. Torres, head of PCIC-Negros Occidental Provincial Extension Office, said on Wednesday the claims were paid through the government’s various insurance programs.
These include the Negros First Universal Crop Insurance Program (NFUCIP), Registry System for Basic Sector in Agriculture (RSBSA), Agrarian Production Credit Program (APCP), Sikat Saka Program (SSP), and similar initiatives.
Figures of PCIC-Negros Occidental showed that in 2018, almost PHP85.9 million were paid to 17,627 rice farmers covering an area of 17,788.13 hectares while PHP1.327 million went to 378 farmers with areas totaling 324.96 hectares.
The NFUCIP is being implemented by the PCIC in partnership with the provincial government of Negros Occidental through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA).
Other programs are carried out through partner-agencies, such as RSBSA, which is under the Department of Budget and Management.
Torres said these do not include insurance lines for livestock, fishery, and credit and life-term insurance.
“We will continue to implement these programs as funds are available to cover more farmers,” he said.
He noted that many farmers in Negros Occidental are still not covered, including those in areas considered “difficult” to reach.
Torres said the PCIC has been stepping up measures to raise awareness about its programs by partnering with local government units.
Insurance programs are vital as these enable farmers to recover from possible losses brought by calamities and other factors, he added.
