CROP INSURANCE. Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson (2nd from left) turns over the PHP4.92-million check to Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. Regional Manager Eva Laud during their meeting at the Provincial Capitol on October 10, 2019). The amount is the provincial government’s additional allocation for farmers’ premiums. The event was witnessed by Jose Ma. Torres (right), head of PCIC-Negros Occidental, and Provincial Agriculturist Japhet Masculino (left). (Photo courtesy of PIO Negros Occidental)

The Negros Occidental provincial government has released P4.92 million to the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) as additional allocation for farmers’ premiums.

Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson turned over the check to PCIC Regional Manager Eva Laud during their meeting at the Provincial Capitol on Thursday, in the presence of Jose Ma. Torres, head of PCIC-Negros Occidental Provincial Extension Office, and Provincial Agriculturist Japhet Masculino.

The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) is implementing the Negros First Universal Crop Insurance Program (NFUCIP) in partnership with the PCIC.

Earlier, Masculino said the Provincial Board approved the additional fund in July in the wake of the natural calamities affecting the province’s agriculture sector.

He said calamities can happen anytime thus, it would be better if farmers are enrolled to be able to receive indemnity claims.

Following the drought from January to June this year alone, the PCIC had distributed at least P64 million in claims to about 13,000 farmers in Negros Occidental.

In the first half of the year, the province’s agriculture sector, excluding sugarcane, incurred production losses of about P174 million due to El Niño.

After Tropical Storm Falcon, rice farmers also reported losses amounting to P17.7 million. A total of 1,584 farmers were affected, with 2,529 hectares of farms in 59 barangays of six localities in southern Negros.

Under the NFUCIP, farmers may avail themselves of the P17,000 claim per hectare of damaged farms.

The P840 enrollment premium per cropping season is shouldered by the provincial government as a loan.PNA