MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Monday assured immediate release of insurance benefits to affected farmers following the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name Trami).
In a phone interview, DA Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. ordered the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) to expedite the claim process of around PHP 667 million initial insurance fund.
“Ito ay ipapamigay as soon as matapos iyong validation ng insured affected farmers. So mabilis lang naman ito, normally in two weeks mare-release naman ito (This will be immediately given as soon as validation to insured affected farmers is completed. So, it will be fast, normally it takes two weeks to be released),” de Mesa said.
At least 86, 066 insured farmers in 10 regions are expected to be covered under the PCIC indemnification fund, with over half of the beneficiaries located in Central Luzon, Mimaropa, and Bicol.
Tiu Laurel earlier ordered PCIC to release the indemnification for insured farmers affected by Super Typhoon Leon (international name Kong-Rey).
De Mesa, meanwhile, said the DA has other available aid as it urges uninsured farmers and fishers to register in the Registry System for Basic Sector in Agriculture (RSBSA).
According to the DA-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Operations Center, affected farmers can access at least PHP 541.02 million worth of agricultural inputs including rice, corn, and vegetable seedlings, as well as drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry.
The DA also has a PHP 500 million loanable fund through the Survival and Recovery Loan (SURE) program of the Agricultural Credit Policy, which is equivalent to a PHP 25, 000 loanable amount per farmer, payable for three years with zero interest; and the PHP 1 billion rehabilitation and recovery fund for affected regions.
In its latest report, the DA said around 131, 661 farmers and fishers were affected in the Cordillera and Ilocos regions, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Soccsksargen, and Caraga.
Rising agri damage
De Mesa, meanwhile, reported a continuous increase in agricultural damage, with the rice sector breaching its annual 500, 000 to 600, 000 metric tons (MT) production loss in palay (unhusked rice).
“We can expect talaga na mas mababa iyong output ngayon compared last year dahil sa laki ng (of a lower output this year compared to last year because of the extent of the) damage from El Niño, series of typhoons before Kristine, and itong si Kristine kahit nagkaroon tayo ng abiso na maagang mag-harvest… Malaki at malawak iyong epekto ni Kristine (despite our advisory for early harvest, the impact is huge and wide),” he said.
As of November 2, the DA-DRRM said Kristine has left 516, 438 MT in losses in palay production thus far, amounting to PHP 4.25 million. The overall agricultural loss was placed at around 557, 851 MT, valued at PHP 5.75 billion.
Palay output for 2024 was projected to drop to 19.41 million metric tons (MT) from the earlier 20.4 million MT target.
De Mesa, however, assured stability in rice supply despite the expected drop in local palay output due to the arrival of imported rice procured under the lower tariff of 15 percent from the previous 35 percent, under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Executive Order 62.
According to the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), around 3.79 million MT of rice imports arrived in the country as of October 30. (PNA)