Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) president, Jovy Bernabe, signed a memorandum of agreement for the additional fund transfer of P19,239,880 by the province to the PCIC, for its crop insurance project for crop year 2021 onward.
The MOA signing was held at the Governor’s Office at the provincial Capitol in Bacolod City yesterday, and witnessed by PCIC VI manager Eva Ulie Laud and Negros Occidental Provincial Agriculturist Japhet Masculino.
Masculino said the insurance is a big help to farmers in mitigating the harmful effects of climate change and other natural calamities, such as typhoons, floods, drought, earthquake, or volcanic eruption, as well as plant diseases and pest infestations, a press release from the Capitol said.
The Negros First Crop Insurance Program, now on its tenth year of implementation, is a joint initiative of the provincial government and the PCIC to insure agricultural crops in the province.
It was initiated to address the gaps in the agriculture sector and climate change that have been adversely affecting crop production and threatening the state of food security in the province, the press release said.
OPA record showed that, as of December 31, 2020, a total of 62,821 farmers with 72,806.16 hectares of farm have been insured. Out of the total farmers enrolled, 38,447 had received indemnity claims amounting to P184,374,480, covering 40,712 hectares of damaged rice, corn and high value crops, the press release added.*
