43,000 farmers file insurance claim for crop insurance
OMPONG’S DAMAGE
About 5,000 farmers in Pangasinan have joined 43,000 farmers in Region 1 and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) affected by Typhoon Ompong whose crops were destroyed in filing insurances claim at the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) regional office in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan.
Jaime Gomez, officer-in-charge of the Marketing and Sales Division of the PCIC Region 1, told the KBP Forum in Dagupan City that the farmers can look forward to receiving their claims after two to three months processing because of the “abnormal condition”.
Gomez was referring to the big amount of damages incurred by farmers brought by Ompong to agriculture and the number of farmers affected. During normal condition, processing of claims takes only 20 days, he said.
He said their personnel are working 24 hours a day to fast-track processing of claims in compliance with the directive of the PCIC president to finish at the soonest possible time payment of farmers’ insurance indemnity.
He clarified that only marginal farmers or those tilling three hectares and below for crops are given financial assistance, meaning their insurance premium is free because of government premium subsidy.
Also given the same privilege are those raising 10 heads and below of cattle or those who are raising fish in at least 1,000 square meters and below fishpond, or those that have at least three machinery units or farm equipment or fishing boats.
They can be insured thrice a year for free, Gomez said.
He said they must be enlisted in their respective municipal or city agriculture office and talk to the municipal/city agriculturist or technician their intent to be insured.
For those who plant rice and corn, the limit is P20,000 amount of insurance covered per hectare, while P15,000 is paid for cattle and carabao per head. For fisheries, the amount depends on the variety of fish cultured.
As of Sept. 26, the number of farmers insured in entire Region 1 including the three provinces of CAR, namely Abra, Benguet and Mt. Province is 86,000.
He said this number is still very low compared to the actual number of farmers in the said areas. (PhilStar Wire Service)
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