By Perla Lena/Philippine News Agency
ILOILO CITY — The Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) has already released some PHP85 million to 12,000 farmers in Western Visayas affected by the El Niño phenomenon.
In a phone interview on Thursday, PCIC Regional Director for Western Visayas Eva Laud said the drought crop insurance indemnity covers the January to May 27, 2019 period.
They are now processing an additional PHP13 million for around 4,000 farmers.
“Once this is completed, the amount will reach around PHP113 million for 15,224 farmers, she said.
Broken down, the recipients of the indemnity will be Aklan, PHP5.442 million for 801 farmers; Antique, PHP6.578 million for 969 farmers; Capiz, PHP17.569 million for 2,108 farmers; Guimaras, PHP10.219 million for 1,503 farmers; Iloilo, PHP 68.248 million for 9,039 farmers; and Negros Occidental, PHP4.754 million for 804 farmers.
She said that only those who applied for insurance or have submitted their application for crop insurance are eligible for the claims. They are farmers who planted crops during the last cropping season or from November 2018 to February 2019 period.
Each farmer will get some PHP8,000 to PHP9,000 per hectare.
The claims given through checks are being released by the PCIC to their respective municipalities.
With this, she emphasized the sustained campaign of their office for farmers to visit their local government unit technicians and agriculture officer to apply for crop insurance, especially that some farmers have already started planting crops.
“They should apply for crop insurance so they can avail of assistance from the government in cases of calamities,” she urged.
She said that PCIC does not set a deadline for them to apply. They can submit their forms once they have planted their crops.
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