THE Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) has paid indemnity claims totaling to almost P87 million to 18,005 enrolled rice and corn farmers in Negros Occidental for 2018.
Records from the PCIC-Negros Occidental showed that bulk of the claims amounting to almost P85.9 million were paid to 17,627 rice farmers covering an area of 17,788.13 hectares.
The remaining P1.327 million was paid to 378 farmers with areas totaling to 324.96 hectares, it added.
Jose Ma. Torres, provincial extension office head, said on Wednesday, January 9, indemnity claims released last year cover those various insurance programs.
These are Negros First Universal Crop Insurance Program (NFUCIP), Registry System for Basic Sector in Agriculture (RSBSA), Agrarian Production Credit Program, and Sikat Saka Program, among others.
NFUCIP is being implemented in partnership with the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist.
Other programs are through other partner-agencies. RSBSA, for instance, is through the Department of Budget and Management.
Torres said these are on top of other insurance lines including 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, adding that many farmers in the province are still up for coverage.
Most of the non-covered farmers in Negros Occidental are those in far-flung areas, which are “difficult” to reach.
Thus, the agency has been stepping up its measure to raise awareness about the programs it provides through one, partnering with local government units.
Torres said insurance programs are vital as these enable farmers to recover from possible losses brought by calamities and other factors.
“Aside from insuring farmers, PCIC also helps in ensuring productivity of the farmers positively contributing to the development of the entire agriculture sector,” he added.