From these ARBs, there are
estimated 99,580 rice farmers tilling 178,801 hectares; 37,772 corn farmers cultivating around 72,506
hectares; and about 85,760 commercial crop farmers cultivating around 78,633
hectares. Nine hundred twenty four (924) farmers raise 30,742 animals.
Each eligible ARB shall have
access to protection cover up to three hectares (maximum award per CARP
beneficiary) and up to three types of insurance coverage only which is good for
two cropping seasons.
The Department of Agriculture
(DA), through the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC), has partnered
with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to provide some P17.1 billion
worth of crop insurance protection to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) over
the next two cropping seasons.
The insurance protection plan is
the first such collaboration between two of the country’s main rural
development agencies and the biggest group plan ever issued by the DA-PCIC. It
aims to provide the ARBs a safety net against fortuitous events caused by
climate change, also crop pests and diseases.
Additionally, beneficiaries will be
provided protection against loss of limbs or life under its Accident and
Dismemberment Security Scheme. To qualify, the program beneficiaries must be
participants of key DAR programs, such as the Agrarian Reform Connectivity andEconomic Support Service (ARCCESS), Agrarian Production Credit Program (APCP),
Credit Assistance Program for Program Beneficiaries Development (CAP-PBD) and
Microfinance Capacity Development in Agrarian Reform Areas. DAR will identify
the eligible beneficiaries.
DAR will put up the premium
subsidy worth P1B from the DAR-GPS for Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries. Of the
amount, P533.78M will be allocated for rice farmers, P385.82, corn farmers,
P79.09M for high value crop farmers, P1.31M for livestock. The premium cost for
the individual farmer’s life and limb coverage amounting to P5.43M would come
from interest income of the DAR-Government Premium Subsidy (DAR-GPS) Fund.
For its part, DA-PCIC will
provide the insurance cover worth some P17.07B from which some P4.94B will be
reserved for rice, P2B for corn, P2.35B for commercial crops, P13M for
livestock, and some P7.77B for the individual farmer’s life and limb.
In cases where the insured risks
happens, the DA-PCIC will pay out damage claims from these beneficiaries within
20 days, less than the 60-day reglementary period. This is made possible by the
ISO-certified systems and processes established by the DA-PCIC.
Depending on the extent of damage
and the cost of farm investment, the farmers may receive payments for damages
worth P39,000 to P52,000 per hectare for inbred and hybrid rice,
respectively; P28,000 and P40,000 for
every hectare of open-pollinated and hybrid corn, respectively; and up
to P50,000 for life and limb. These are various indemnity figures for
commercial crops and animals as there are many types of crops and animals
involved.
Link: DAR-PCIC orientation (on Facebook page)
