PCIC sets aside $2.99m for typhoon-hit Filipino farmers

Claims cover losses across eight regions, with rice taking the largest share.

The Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) has set aside $2.99m (PHP187m) for insurance payments to 24,987 farmers affected by three typhoons and the enhanced southwest monsoon from 1 to 26 August.

The payments cover reported losses across eight regions, with Central Luzon accounting for the largest number of beneficiaries at 9,636, followed by the Ilocos Region with 3,874.

Rice farmers account for $2.13m (PHP132.9m) of the claims, whilst corn farmers account for $148,824 (PHP9.3m) and high-value crops for $673,708 (PHP42.1m), PCIC President Jovy Bernabe said in a report to Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr.

“We have issued strict instructions to our regional staff to continue extending their assistance to the affected farmers and speed up the processing of their damage claims,” Bernabe said.

The payouts come as the Department of Agriculture (DA) assesses the impact of the weather disturbances on agricultural production and food supply.

The DA’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center estimated agricultural damage at $66.1m (PHP4.13b) as of 6 September.

The weather disturbances affected 97,589 farmers and fisherfolk across 81,383 hectares, with production losses estimated at 100,602 metric tons.

Rice suffered the largest losses, with 73,307 hectares affected and production losses of 65,106 metric tons valued at $32.7m (PHP2.04b).

The damaged rice accounts for less than 1% of the 20.3 million metric tons of rice production projected for the year, Tiu Laurel said.

“Unfortunately, much of the damaged rice was already about to be harvested,” he said. “And the damage also extends to high-value crops from the Cordillera Administrative Region, and fisheries, especially fish ponds in Bulacan and Pampanga.”

Tiu Laurel said the damage could add to inflationary pressures for vegetables and fish as local supply disruptions affect prices.

Rice should face less price pressure because of supplies from recent domestic harvests and imports, he added.

(US$1 = PHP62.49)