Farmers to get P100 M in crop insurance payments — Alcala

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala

MANILA, Philippines—Almost 9,000 farmers whose crops were destroyed by inclement weather stand to get P100 million in insurance payments from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC).

In a statement, Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said the PCIC will fast-track the processing and payment of crop insurance claims to enable farmers affected by Typhoon Gener and incessant southwest monsoon rains to plant again.

In a report to Alcala, PCIC President Jovy Bernabe said that based on reports of the agency’s regional field staff, from July 29 to Aug. 8, initial crop insurance claims have amounted to P98.73 million.

The crop insurance claims were made by 8,613 farmers, 97 percent of whom planted rice, while the rest (291) raised corn.

The insured farmers planted a total area of 14,711 hectares (14,260 hectares of rice and 451 hectares of corn) that were submerged in floodwaters.

Bernabe said he instructed the PCIC central office and field staff to hasten the processing and payment of crop insurance claims within a maximum period of 20 days.