FARMERS in Murcia town in Negros Occidental have received palay seeds, fertilizers and cash assistance under various programs facilitated by the local government led by Mayor Gerry Rojas, Vice Mayor Johnny Reosura and members of the Sangguniang Bayan.
Last November 14, some 65 rice farmers from Barangays Salvacion, Blumentritt, Cansilayan and Damsite received bags of palay seeds, while 100 farmers producing high value crops received two bags of fertilizers each under the national government’s Typhoon Odette recovery program.
“We were able to access these programs for our farmers through our close collaboration with our provincial government and with the office of Third District Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez,” Rojas said, as he thanked Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Benitez for facilitating the programs that benefited the local farmers.
Almost 300 rice farmers also received their crop insurance claims amounting to almost P1.3 million from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC), which distributed the cash benefits in two separate tranches.
The first tranche involved 140 beneficiaries who received a total of P660, 827 while the second tranche worth P623,408 was distributed to 158 beneficiaries
The recipients are farmers whose rice crops were damaged by Typhoon Odette last year.
Dennic Garzon, head of the Municipal Agriculture Office said the crop insurance program is implemented for free by the PCIC.
Farmers cultivating up to three hectares of rice farm are covered by the free crop insurance, he said.
Under the program, Garzon said, farmers can receive up to P16,000 to P18,000, for their damaged crops, livestock and poultry due to droughts, typhoons, floods or other natural calamities.
“The PCIC also offers personal life insurance at a P50 annual premium per farmer, wherein his beneficiaries can receive P50,000 in case of the farmer’s untimely death,” Garzon said.
He recalled that there was a Murciahanon farmer who paid the P50 premium for two croppings, or a total premium payment of P100, for his life insurance. When he passed away, his family received P100,000 as life insurance benefit from PCIC.
Rojas, moreover, reiterated his administration’s support for the town’s farmers.
“We exert all efforts to help our farmers to the utmost of our capacity. We establish linkages with the province, Department of Agriculture and other national government agencies so that we can tap their resources to augment the assistance we can provide to our local farmers,” the mayor said.
“Proof of this commitment is our continuing efforts to construct more farm-to-market roads and foot bridges, as well as our ongoing empowerment of our farmers through training,” he added.