The Negros Occidental provincial government has released PHP 16 million worth of indemnity claims granted by the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) to farmers affected by calamities.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Provincial Agriculturist Japhet Masculino led the turnover rites attended by some of the recipients at the Provincial Capitol grounds here on recently.
The amount was intended for a total of 3,296 farmers from various cities and municipalities, records of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) showed.
“It’s good that you are able to participate in this program. If your crops are affected by calamity, the insurance will help you start over,” Lacson said.
Masculino said it is important that farmers are enrolled to be able to receive indemnity claims for their damaged crops.
He added that a beneficiary of an insured farmer who recently died was also able to receive burial and life insurance amounting to PHP 55,000.
The OPA is implementing the Negros First Universal Crop Insurance Program (NFUCIP), an initiative of the provincial government, in partnership with the PCIC.
The agricultural crop insurance covers damage on rice, corn, high-value crops, and sugarcane.
Under the NFUCIP, farmers may avail themselves of the PHP 17,000 claim per hectare of damaged farms.
Based on the modified guidelines of the program, the PHP 840 enrollment premium per cropping season is shouldered by the provincial government as a loan.
As of May 2020, some 52,679 Negrense farmers with a total of 60,818.5 hectares of farms are enrolled in the program. (Nanette Guadalquiver ndb via pna)