Close to 2,000 farmers in Ilocos Norte received their indemnity crop insurance claims on Wednesday from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) in a ceremony held at the Imelda Cultural Center in Batac City. Raul Servito, officer-in-charge of PCIC Region 1, said the group comprised the second batch of farmers whose crops were severely damaged by Typhoon Ompong and were entitled to receive benefits from the PCIC program. Servito said the amount each farmer received depended on the size of the planting area damaged by the typhoon last year. Each insurance covers a maximum of three hectares. “Although the amount is not too much compared with the farmers’ expenses for their crops, at least it would help them as they start their farming activities again,” town mayor Albert Chua said, as he urged farmers to continue availing the services of the agency for their own benefit. Most of the farmer-beneficiaries came from Batac City and nearby towns of Paoay, Badoc, Pinili and Currimao. Only a minimum number of farmers in the province availed of the PCIC program last year, way below the target. This year, the budget of PCIC for its insurance program is pegged at PHP3.5 billion. Under the Agriculture and Agrarian (Agri-Agra) Reform Credit Act of 2009, even farmers who did not register their crops will be automatically covered. Source - http://www.pna.gov.ph