TABUK CITY, Kalinga– Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) Regional Office No.02 distributed indemnity payment “bayad pinsala” to farmers in the city on April 21, 2021.
In an interview with Maricel Dela Cruz, senior clerk of PCIC Region 02, she said that there are 187 Tabuk rice and corn farmers who were benefited by the program.
She said that these farmers experienced partial damage of their farm lands due to typhoon, pests and disease infestations.
As to the amount of indemnity, Dela Cruz explained that it depends on the percentage of damage assessed and validated by the staff of PCIC.
All qualified farmer-beneficiaries, she added are registered under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA), and were not required to pay a certain premium.
One of the beneficiaries from Barangay Calaccad who was interviewed said an insect called corn planthopper brought damage to her crop.
After receiving the check, she expressed her gratitude to the PCIC for helping the farmers recover.
Prior to distribution of indemnity payment, affected farmers submitted accomplished application forms highlighting the farmer’s basic information, damage indicators, location sketch plan of damage insured crop, and total cost of production.
In the Province of Kalinga, there are 257 farmers eligible to accept claim for indemnity.
Apart from this assistance from the PCIC, the City Local Government Unit through the Office for the City Agricultural Services (OCAS) is also extending various programs and services to farmers which includes technical and livelihood assistance, and also took the lead in the enrollment of farmers to RSBSA to help them gain access to agriculture-related programs and services.
Mayor Darwin C. Estrañero welcomes this “Bayad Pinsala” program of the PICC as “it will be big help to our farmers who suffered losses in their crops which has added to the burden they are experiencing with this pandemic and its aftermath,” he said.
He further said that the CLGU will continue to partner with national agencies to better provide services and assistance to the farmers of Tabuk City. By Darwin S. Serion