Seven agrarian reform beneficiaries in South Cotabato recently received indemnities for damages in crops and livestock due to flooding.The farms of these ARBs, according to information from provincial agrarian reform officer II Felix Frias of the Department of Agrarian Reform- South Cotabato have been insured with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation under the PCIC-DAR- Agricultural Insurance Program (AIP).PCIC president Atty. Jovy Bernabe, with provincial agrarian reform program Officer I Rolando D. Arella handed the checks in a ceremony at the Farm at Carpenter Hill on November 27.Those who received payments for losses sustained from flooding three months ago included Evelyn Mandahay, Rosalinda Barrun, and Patricio Britanico of Barangay Malaya, Banga; Gerly Camacho and Fe Garcesa of Barangay Moloy, Surallah; Edmond Baconua of Lamsugod, Surallah, and Cornelio Alameria of Puti, Norala.Records released by DAR-South Cotabato, show that the compensation ranged from P6,299.01 to P16,082. Total amount released to the beneficiaries amounted to P79,943.83.In his message, Atty. Bernabe said more farmers have applied for insurance coverage with PCIC, implying further an increasing trust on the agency’s insurance programs.He also exhorted PCIC personnel to prepare the notice of loss within 20 days after reporting the damage cause by natural calamities or disasters so that the farmers can immediately recover from their loss.Like the other beneficiaries, Mandahay of Barangay Malaya in Banga, said she never expected to receive indemnity for the loss of a cow she lost during a flood. She received P15,000.Meanwhile, Marissa Agudera, chief of division I at PCIC 11, said the recipients were only a portion of those who have availed or are currently applying for indemnity.Agudera also encouraged other ARB to apply for crop and livestock insurance under AIP as this would only entail submission of an application form. No fee is required since the program is fully subsided.She said, PCIC the deadline for submission of application will be on December 31, 2013.AIP for ARBs, according to its program briefer aims to “provide ARBs and AEB household members with premiums for agricultural insurance to protect them against losses due to pest and disease infestations, natural calamities, and extreme weather events brought about by climate change; improve agricultural productivity of ARBs and ARB household members; and improve access to credit.”Under the program, DAR helps identify the ARBs or ARB household members who would receive full premium subsidy charged against the P1 billion subsidy fund for the program.

Source - http://news.pia.gov.ph/