The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Ilocos Norte recently compensated some 386 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) who were victims of the devastation last year caused by typhoons Odette and Vinta.Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Felicidad Dumaguing led the awarding of indemnity checks totalling to P1.5 million to farmers of Ilocos Norte.“The typhoons which occurred last year destroyed most of the farmers’ crops due to strong winds while those who have managed to harvest their rice and crops also suffered because of floods. Farmers weren’t able to get their produce to the market centers and it rotted,” said Dumaguing.Early last year the DAR partnered with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) to provide crop insurance protection for the ARBs of Ilocos Norte. The protection plan is contained in the joint program called the “Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries-Agricultural Insurance Program (ARB-AIP).Under the ARB-AIP, farmers are protected against losses due to pest and disease infestations, natural calamities and extreme weather conditions brought about by climate change.The ARB-AIP is a P17.1 billion crop insurance coverage plan between the DAR and PCIC, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA), wherein the DAR provides a premium subsidy worth P1 billion.The P 1.5 million indemnity payments were made for ARBs in 23 municipalities of Ilocos Norte where some 900 hectares of palay were destroyed by the typhoons.The insurance program benefits agrarian reform beneficiaries who are members of agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs) in Ilocos Norte.

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