THE Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) has paid indemnity claims totaling to almost P53 million to 8,973 enrolled farmers in Negros Occidental last year. The paid claims in 2016, about 47 percent higher than P28 million in 2015, covered an area of 10,371.54 hectares, mostly rice farms affected by dry spell, pest and diseases, PCIC-Negros Occidental records showed. Of the total amount, the bulk was paid to farmers enrolled under the Registry System for Basic Sector in Agriculture (RSBSA) with the Department of Budget and Management as partner-agency, at P32 million. It was followed by the Negros First Universal Crop Insurance Program, which is in partnership with the Provincial Government, with P16.8 million. The remaining P3.8 million was distributed to farmers under various insurance programs like Agrarian Production Credit Program, and Sikat Saka Program, among others. The number of recipients who have received their indemnity claims last year forms part of the current 24,843 enrolled-farmers in the province with an aggregate area of 27,157.18 hectares, it added. Jose Ma. Torres, insurance underwriter and officer-in-charge of PCIC-Negros Occidental, told SunStar Bacolod Wednesday, January 11, that the increase in the amount of indemnity claims paid last year is mainly attributed to the influx of farmers enrolling in the program, particularly under RSBSA. In 2015, the PCIC has paid at least 6,000 farmers, comprising 5,260-hectare farms in the province. For RSBSA alone, Torres said they have reached the target quota of P40 million in premium subsidy this year. This is twice higher than 2015’s P20 million target, with only P10 million, or 50 percent accomplishment, he added. “Insurance program has greatly helped local farmers recover from the losses they have incurred due to various factors like the adverse effects of prolonged dry spell,” Torres said. The PCIC official pointed out that the National Government has recognized the positive impact of the program to the local agriculture sector. Thus, with the country’s P2.3-billion allocation for RSBSA this year, Negros Occidental will get about P52 million. “There are still many farmers in the province the PCIC needs to cover,” Torres said, adding that the agency will continue to partner with the Provincial Government and other agencies to strengthen the implementation of the program. Source - http://www.sunstar.com.ph