At least 16 farmers from Barangays Mangin and Salisay in Dagupan City benefited from the crop insurance program implemented by the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC). Mayor Belen Fernandez said that for the first time, farmers whose crops were destroyed during the onslaught of typhoons Kabayan and Lando received compensation amounting to between P5,700 and P33,000 each from PCIC. Fernandez helped PCIC representatives Catheryine E. Egar and Manuel Garcia Jr. distribute the checks of the affected farmers at city hall's conference room last Nov. 25. The mayor lauded the government's crop insurance program saying it enables farmers to recover their losses from typhoons, giving them a big chance to bounce back. During typhoon Lando alone, at least 191 farmers lost their crops like palay and vegetables worth about P9.9 million. However, not all those who were affected received compensation from PCIC. Fernandez said the city government already received P1.5 million from the national government as its share from the tobacco excise tax on native and burley varieties. “This amount will be used to help our farmers improve their harvest for them to earn more for their respective families,” said Fernandez. The farmers suggested that the amount be used for the purchase of irrigation pumps as they are now having problems with water supply in their fields especially with El Nino already threatening some parts of the country. Source - http://www.interaksyon.com