Negros Oriental farmers can now look forward to have their rice and corn fields, including high value crops, livestock and farm equipment and machineries insured with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation. This was after the PCIC, represented by president Jovy Bernabe, and the provincial government, headed by Gov. Roel Degamo, signed a memorandum of agreement yesterday, to ensure that the harvest and equipment of the farmers will be insured. Negros Oriental has about 244,613 farmers listed in the Registry System for Basic Sector in Agriculture during the 2012 census. But with only P1.6 billion budgeted for next year all over the country, Negros Oriental was allotted with funds for only 14,400 farmer-beneficiaries, even if the enrolment has already reached 33,347 as of this month, and the insurance exposure is more than P455 million, in case of disasters and calamities. Norman Cajucom, senior vice president of the Regional Marketing Group of PCIC, said that in terms of investments, PCIC's target is P415 million, with a generation, so far, of P535 million worth of farm investments. Aside from rice and corn, PCIC is fully subsidizing the insurance for livestock, like poultry, cattle, and swine, in addition to aquaculture farms, Cajucom added. This year's allocation is about P33 million for Negros Oriental, but as of October, more than P54 million have been appropriated and the listing continues, he said. Bernabe told Degamo that the insurance program hopes to cover 50,000 farmers all over the province, while Negros Occidental is already benefiting from it since three years ago. Two weeks ago, PCIC had allotted P1 million to areas hit by El Niño in Occidental Negros, he said. Degamo said the MOA signing yesterday sealed a previous agreement between PCIC and the province to provide for the insurance of Negros Oriental farmers. Degamo had requested for an authority from the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for him to sign the MOA with PCIC, so farmers can avail of needed help from the national government following the onslaught of typhoons and calamities in Negros Oriental. PCIC regional marketing manager, Crescencio Deligero Jr., has confirmed that the provinces of Cebu and Bohol were among the firsts to benefit from the insurance program, after the devastation to crops and livestock due to several typhoons. In Negros Oriental, 102 farmers were paid P577,000 as of October this year, because of the army worm attack in farmlands of Mabinay, affecting more than 30 farmers, and 16 hectares of upland rice, affecting 22 farmers. There were also damage to corn planted in 72 hectares, affecting 77 farmers in Bayawan, parts of Zamboanguita, and Valencia, who were paid P434,000 as insurance claims, Deligero said. The MOA signing was also attended by Antonio Uy, vice president for corporate business affairs group, director Epifanio Maniebo, Provincial Agriculturist Greg Paltinca, Provincial Administrator Richard Enojo, and Provincial Veterinarian Nestor Villaflores.*JG Source - http://www.visayandailystar.com