Ilocos farmers among P187-M insurance beneficiaries

SAN ILDEFONSO, Ilocos Sur — Farmers in the Ilocos Region are among nearly 25,000 beneficiaries of P187 million in insurance payments set aside by the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) for losses caused by flooding and other damage from three typhoons and the enhanced southwest monsoon.

The payments cover losses reported from Aug. 1 to 26 in eight regions, mostly in Luzon. Central Luzon had the largest number of beneficiaries at 9,636, followed by the Ilocos Region with 3,874.

In a report on Tuesday, Sept. 8, PCIC President Jovy Bernabe said rice farmers accounted for the biggest share of insurance claims at P132.9 million. Claims from corn farmers reached P9.3 million, while those for high-value crops totaled P42.1 million.

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READ: PCIC allots P36m in payouts for farmers affected by flooding

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“We have issued strict instructions to our regional staff to continue extending their assistance to the affected farmers and speed up the processing of their damage claims,” Bernabe said in a report to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.

The payouts come as the Department of Agriculture (DA) assesses the broader impact of the weather disturbances on farm production and food supply.

The DA’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center, in its Sept. 6 report, estimated agricultural damage at P4.13 billion. The weather disturbances affected 97,589 farmers and fisherfolk and 81,383 hectares of agricultural land, with production losses estimated at 100,602 metric tons.

Rice suffered the heaviest damage, with 73,307 hectares affected and production losses of 65,106 metric tons valued at P2.04 billion.

Despite the losses, the damaged rice accounts for less than 1 percent of the 20.3 million metric tons of production projected for the year, limiting its likely impact on overall supply.  — Kenneth P. Tabin/Contributor /das