The House of Representatives approved on third and final reading a bill granting agrarian reform beneficiaries full crop insurance coverage for losses caused by natural calamities and pest infestation. With 201 congressmen voting in the affirmative and zero negative, House bill 6686, a bill authored by Deputy Speaker and Ilocos Sur Rep. Eric D. Singson, was passed on final reading. Co-authored by Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto, HB 6686 has won bipartisan support as an amendment to Republic Act No. 97000 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms.” HB 6686 provides for a full crop insurance coverage to farmer beneficiaries whose losses were the result of natural calamities such as typhoon, drought, volcanic eruption and flood. Singson said crop insurance covered by HB 6686 also includes agricultural losses triggered by plant diseases such as pathogens, bacteria, fungi, and pest infestations caused by nematodes, insects, mites, snails and other parasites. The House official said the legislative measure mandates that the term of crop insurance will be from planting to harvest. By granting full crop insurance to qualified CARP beneficiaries, food security and reasonable income for farmers may also be assured, said Singson. “Despite the existence of the PCIC (Philippine Crop Insurance Commission, only a small number of farmers avail of crop insurance because of the premium that they are required to pay. Although half of the premium is subsidized by the government the remaining 50 percent is still a burden to many of our farmers,” the senior administration lawmaker stated. The PCIC mitigates agricultural risks and addresses the consequences of natural disasters to make losses more bearable, especially to marginalized farmers. Under the bill, the Department of Agriculture and Department of Agrarian Reform will coordinate the needed operational requirements to implement the insurance program. On the other hand, the Landbank of the Philippines and DAR will submit to the DA the complete list of qualified beneficiaries and leaseholders to be included in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture for inclusion in the program. Source - https://news.mb.com.ph