Isabela farmers paid P14 million for losses from drought

FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—More than a thousand rice and corn farmers in two towns of Isabela received indemnity checks totaling almost P14 million to cover losses due to a drought that hit the province early this year, the Department of Agrarian Reform announced Saturday.

The 1,198 agrarian reform beneficiaries tilling a total of 2,044.31 hectares of land in San Pablo and Cabagan towns were awarded P13.8 million for losses incurred during the second cropping season, the agency said.

In a news release, DAR Region 2 Director Marjorie P. Ayson said the DAR subsidized 100 percent of the farmers’ insurance premiums for their  rice, corn, high-value crops and livestock.

In early 2013, the DAR and  the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. launched the Agrarian Reform Beneficiary – Agricultural Insurance Program (ARB-AIP) providing comprehensive crop insurance protection against crop loss caused by natural disasters, pest infestation and plant diseases.

It also has a built-in insurance to cover accidents or the deaths of farmers and members of their households.

Ayson said the coverage of the crop insurance starts from the date of issuance of the Certificate of Insurance Cover, which means that insurance would start from planting to harvesting and would cover the cost of production inputs plus an additional amount to cover up to 20 percent of the value of the expected yield.

Regional Manager Edna SP. Marallag of PCIC advised the farmers to use the indemnity proceeds as capital to purchase farm inputs for the next cropping season.