Gensan farmers get crop-loss insurance from Mayor Rivera, GOCC

By IAN JOHN M. LAGARE

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (04 October 2014) - Local farmers of this city just got free insurance with the help of a Government Owned and Controlled Corporation (GOCC) and City Mayor Ronnel Rivera.

The Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Mayor Rivera on Thursday (October 2) about insuring the agricultural assets of farmers in the city.

Bonifacio Pales, PCIC regional manager, explained to the mayor the insurance programs that the PCIC is offering to the different LGUs in the country.

Among these insurance programs are the Rice and Corn Crop Insurance, High-Value Commercial Crop Insurance, Non-Crop Agricultural Asset Insurance, Livestock Insurance, and some Term Insurance Packages.

“We in the PCIC offers various insurance programs so that we can prevent crop and non-crop agricultural assets loss due to natural calamities such as typhoons, drought, floods, earthquakes, as well as plant disease and pest infestations,” Pales explained.

“But we cannot give such if we don’t have any implementing institutions as our partners because it would be hard for us to find the appropriate recipients for our program. In our case, the PCIC finds the local government unit of General Santos City a good partner.”

Mayor Rivera tasked City Agriculturist’s Office head Merlinda Donasco to be the partner of the PCIC in implementing the program.

“Usually, the farmers have to pay for the insurance they will acquire from us. But in General Santos City, we will be giving it for free,” Pales said.

“But there are different terms for each insurance program. For example, when a farmer is engaged in rice and crop production, we will cover his entire plant-to-harvest. If he is on swine production, we cover only the fattening period of the pigs,” he added.

Pales also pointed out that agricultural properties such as tractors, threshers, trailers, and commercial transport vehicles will be covered by the insurance.

Mayor Rivera gave his support to the program of the PCIC saying that this will help the local farmers in the city, especially those under the marginal line.

“This program will really help small farmers to avoid loss in their business. If a certain calamity or event will befall them, we can be sure that they can stand up again,” the mayor stated.

The program will start before the year ends.

Under the Creating a Livable Environment for All towards Nation-building (CLEAN - Gensan) agenda of Mayor Rivera, one of his thrusts is to make the city as the agri-industrial hub of Region 12. (Gensan CPIO/ Ian John M. Lagare)