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Farmers’ interest is priority as PCIC moves to DOF – DA

September 18, 2021 Cory Martinez 320 views

The interest of the farmers and farmers’ groups will still be the priority of the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) even if its management will be transferred to the Department of Finance (DOF).

This was the assurance made by Agriculture Secretary William Dar as he allayed the fears of the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) on the transfer of PCIC from the Department of Agriculture (DA) to DOF.

“We assure the FFF that their interest and those of other farmers’ groups will continue and remains the priority of the PCIC Board,” said Dar.

“The fear of FFF is unfounded as the PCIC, with its transfer to the DOF as per Executive Order No. 148, will make the operations of the agency more efficient in fulfilling its mandate toward providing insurance protection to subsistence farmers and fisherfolk,” added Dar, who will serve as vice-chair of the reconstituted seven-man PCIC Board.

Dar stressed that their coordination with the DOF will be stronger than ever, and enable the farmers and fisherfolk, through their representatives in the Board, to directly plead the case for greater support for agricultural insurance with the DOF.

He added that the FFF and the entire agriculture, fishery and livestock sector are assured of continued and strong support from the newly-reconstituted PCIC Board, as four members represent their interests, namely, the DA secretary; president of the Land Bank of the Philippines; PCIC president; and a representative of farmers’ groups.

Dar further assured the country’s farmers, fishers, livestock raisers and agripreneurs that the PCIC will continue to implement the agency’s insurance programs, especially its fully- and partly-subsidized insurance programs for self-financed and credit-assisted farmers and fisherfolk, respectively.

For his part, PCIC president Jovy Bernabe said the agency is currently focused on using up available government premium subsidy for the free insurance scheme, particularly in support of rice farmers and hog farmers affected by the African swine fever.

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