FARMERS affected by super typhoon Yolanda will no longer have free insurance coverage starting next year, an official of the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) said. PCIC 7 Director Crecencio Deligero said on Tuesday that the two-year agricultural insurance program for Typhoon Yolanda farmers will no longer be continued, as decided by the PCIC board. PCIC has allocated P60 million this year intended for 47,278 farmers in Central Visayas, all concentrated in the 16 towns of Northern Cebu that were most affected by the super typhoon in 2013. These include Bantayan, Bogo City, Borbon, Daanbantayan, Medellin, Pilar, San Remegio, Sta. Fe, Madredijos, Sogod, Tabogon, Tabuelan, Tuburan, San Francisco, Tudela, and Poro. From January to Nov. 30, the PCIC paid P13.7 million in claims benefiting close to 2,000 farmers. “All funds for the Yolanda insurance all came from PCIC,” Deligero said. The agricultural insurance program for Yolanda victims is a 100-percent premium subsidy PCIC for insurance coverage of farm investments, including accident and dismemberment security scheme of subsistence to farmers and fisherfolk. The program is in compliance with Malacañang Memo-Circular No. 59 dated Nov. 26, 2013, which orders the PCIC to provide financial relief to individuals and entities “directly and adversely affected by the calamity.” Insurance lines include corn, rice, livestock, high-value crops, non-crop (e.g. fishing boats), and credit and life term insurance. According to PCIC in its website, farmers and fisherfolk certified by the Office of the Municipal or City Agriculturist or Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Office, or Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Office, as subsistence farmers and fisherfolk, are the intended beneficiaries of the Yolanda program. In addition, farmers and fisherfolk, borrowing and self-financed farmers located in the covered provinces or areas are also included. While the insurance program for Yolanda farmers will end next year, Delijero said PCIC has other programs that offer farmers insurance protection. PCIC has a regular insurance program and full free insurance coverage programs like the Registry System for Basic Sector in Agriculture (RSBSA) program for all subsistence farmers and fisherfolk listed in the registry system; the Agrarian Production Credit Program (APCP) and Credit Assistance Program for Program Beneficiaries Development (CAP-PBD), and the Deaprtment of Agriculture Rice Insurance Program. The farmers who wish to avail of these free insurance, however, have to meet specific criteria. As of January to November this year, PCIC 7 has covered 207,806 farmers, surpassing the 153,000 target. Source - http://www.sunstar.com.ph