THE House of Representatives on Tuesday approved on third and final reading a measure that mandates full insurance coverage to farmer-beneficiaries of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) to provide aid and relief in times of natural calamities, pest infestations, or even death.

With an overwhelming 271 votes, the chamber approved House Bill (HB) No. 6680, which consolidated and harmonized HB Nos. 3178 and 3839 introduced by Reps. Ralph Recto and Kristine Singson-Meehan, respectively.

“This measure, if enacted into law, is envisioned to help farmers recover from the adverse effects of circumstances that are beyond their control, such as natural calamities, the infestation of plant diseases and pests, or even death and injury of the beneficiary,” House Speaker Martin G. Romualdez said.

“This is part of our legislative commitment to ensure food security by helping the hands that feed the nation – our farmers – and make sure they bounce back from any event that may affect their ability to produce the food we have on our tables,” he added.

HB 6680 amends Republic Act (RA) No. 6657, as Amended by RA No. 9700, otherwise known as the “Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1988.”

AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee lauded the approval of HB 6680, which aims to ease the impact of natural calamities on affected agrarian reform beneficiaries by providing full insurance coverage.

“This is a big win for agrarian reform beneficiaries, especially those who live in areas that are becoming more and more vulnerable to the effects of climate change,” Lee said.

“This measure is crucial for our food security efforts because we give farmers [a] chance to recover from the calamities that now occur more frequently. Winner Tayo Lahat dito dahil masisiguro ang supply ng pagkain,” he added.

The House of Representatives earlier approved HB 6880, which amends RA 6657, or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1988, to include full insurance coverage for compensable losses to all qualified agrarian reform beneficiaries actively tilling and who have made investments in any growing crops or stocks in fisheries farms, production inputs, livestock, and other farming implements.

Compensable losses include those resulting from natural phenomena, plant diseases, pest infestations, and loss of life or injury to qualified beneficiaries due to an accident or any of the aforementioned causes.

With the passage of HB 6680, the AGRI lawmaker expressed optimism that the House would also approve his proposed measure making insurance mandatory for palay and other essential crops.

“The agriculture sector is at the forefront of the climate crisis, especially in our country, which is hit by tropical cyclones more than any other country in the world. The passage of HB 6680 is a big step forward but more needs to be done,” Lee said.

“A strong typhoon can easily wipe out months of hard work and deprive our farmers not only of their harvest for the Filipino consumers but, more importantly, their chance to support their families,” he added.

Lee’s HB 1298 makes insurance for essential crops mandatory and provides a legal basis for the National Food Authority (NFA) to shoulder the premium for indigent farmers subject to equitable shares in insurance proceeds.

“This will not only increase the income of the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation but will also provide our farmers with the peace of mind that their agricultural endeavors will not be wasted as we continue to face climate change,” the lawmaker said.

The objectives of the measure are to provide immediate financial assistance to Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) in the event of natural calamities to make their losses more bearable and to mitigate the effects of these occurrences by providing full insurance coverage to these farmers.

Under the approved bill, full insurance coverage is granted to all qualified agrarian reform beneficiaries who are actually tilling the land for compensable losses that are also defined under the measure.

HB 6680 also defined who the qualified agrarian reform beneficiaries are, and they are those mentioned in Section 3(b) of RA No. 10000, otherwise known as the “Agri-Agra Reform Credit Act of 2009.”

Compensable losses, meanwhile, include those resulting from:

I. Natural calamities such as typhoons, floods, droughts, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, frosts, and other destructive natural phenomena such as heat and hot wind;

II. Plant diseases caused by pathogens, bacteria, fungi, viruses, virus-like pathogens, and other similar foreign bodies;

III. Pest infestations caused by nematodes, insects, mites and spiders, millipedes and centipedes, symphylans, slugs and snails, sow bugs and pillbugs, parasitic higher plants, and other parasites; and

IV. Loss of life or injury to the qualified agrarian reform beneficiary due to accident or any of the aforementioned causes.

For purposes of insurance coverage, the following crops and other farming and fishery produce are covered under the measure:

I. Palay, corn, sugarcane, high-value crops as defined in Section 4(b) of Republic Act No. 7900, otherwise known as the ‘High-Value Crops Development Act of 1995’, coconut, tobacco;

II. Crops or stocks in fisheries farms;

III. Livestock; and

IV. Non-crop agricultural assets used in actual farming and reported to and certified by the DAR.

The measure also provides penalties for farmer-beneficiaries who may misuse or divert the financial aid granted under the measure, including forfeiture of the land transferred to him or her, without prejudice to criminal prosecution.

Upon enactment into law, the measure mandates the Secretaries of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to include the operationalization of the insurance coverage in their respective programs.

“Further, a Congressional Oversight Committee for the Full Insurance Coverage of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (COCFICARB) is hereby created. It shall be composed of the Chairperson of the Committee on Agrarian Reform of the House of Representatives and the Chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform of the Senate of the Philippines…”

Co-authors of the measure include the following: Solomon R. Chungalao, Elizaldy S. Co, Francisco Paolo P. Ortega V, Linabelle Ruth R. Villarica, Allen Jesse C. Mangaoang, Wilton “Tonton” T. Kho, Angelo Marcos Barba, Joselito “Joel” S. Sacdalan, Robert Raymund M. Estrella, Felimon M. Espares, Jaime D. Cojuangco, Mohamad Khalid Q. Dimaporo, Dante S. Garcia, Stella Luz A. Quimbo, Jude A. Acidre, Antonio “Tonypet” T. Albano, Wilter Y. Palma, David “Jay-jay” C. Suarez, Bienvenido M. Abante Jr., Jose C. Alvarez, Jose “Joboy” S. Aquino II, Ma. Rachel J. Arenas, Claudine Diana D. Bautista-Lim, Raul Angelo “Jil” D. Bongalon, Fernando T. Cabredo, Mary Mitzi L. Cajayon-Uy, Arthur F. Celeste, Luisa Lloren Cuaresma, Alan “Aldu” R. Dujali, Gerardo “Gerryboy” J. Espina Jr., Ed Christopher S. Go, Ruwel Peter Gonzaga, Teodorico T. Haresco Jr., Roy M. Loyola, Francisco Jose “Bingo” F. Matugas II, Romeo S. Momo, Ma. Lucille L. Nava, Ronald V. Singson, Tobias “Toby” M. Tiangco, Alfonso V. Umali Jr., Joseph Gilbert F. Violago, Divina Grace C. Yu, Maria Carmen S. Zamora, Jose Maria R. Zubiri Jr., JC Abalos, Zia Alonto Adiong, Adrian Jay C. Advincula, Cheeno Miguel D. Almario, Loreto S. Amante, James “Jojo” A. Ang Jr., Dean Asistio, Maria Vanessa C. Aumentado, Alfelito “Alfel” M. Bascug, Bonifacio L. Bosita, Jorge “PATROL” Bustos, Edgar M. Chatto, Ma. Victoria C. Co-Pilar, Ambrosio C. Cruz Jr., Ricardo S. Cruz Jr., Sergio C. Dagooc, Sittie Aminah Q. Dimaporo, Ernesto M. Dionisio Jr., Antonieta R. Eudela, Wowo Fortes, Jaime R. Fresnedi, Maria Angela S. Garcia, Edwin L. Gardiola, Mark O. Go, Anthony Rolando T. Golez Jr., Ramon Rodrigo L. Gutierrez, Charisse Anne C. Hernandez, Jefferson F.Khonghun, Daphne A. Lagon, Sonny “SL” L. Lagon, Carmelo “Jon” B. Lazatin II, Wilbert T. Lee, Antonio B. Legarda Jr., Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” R. Luistro, Edward Vera Perez Maceda, Doris E. Maniquiz, Bai Dimple I. Mastura.

Ma. Rene Ann Lourdes G. Matibag, Margarita Ignacia B. Nograles, Emmarie “Lolypop” M. Ouano-Dizon, Joseph Stephen “Caraps” S. Paduano, Arnan C. Panaligan, Augustina Dominique “Ditse Tina” C. Pancho, Salvador A. Pleyto, Ramon Jolo B. Revilla III, Eulogio R. Rodriguez, Princess Rihan M. Sakaluran, Dimszar M. Sali, Ma. Alana Samantha T. Santos, Joseph S. Tan, Caroline L. Tanchay, Jocelyn P. Tulfo, Patrick Michael D. Vargas, Rosanna “Ria” V. Vergara, Samuel S. Verzosa Jr., Christopherson “Coco” M. Yap, Wilfrido Mark M. Enverga, Marie Bernadette G. Escudero, Greg G. Gasataya, Ruth Mariano-Hernandez, Mario Vittorio “Marvey” A. Mariño, Carlito S. Marquez, Peter B. Miguel, Roman T. Romulo, Laarni Lavin Roque, Irene Gay F. Saulog, Luis Raymund “LRay” F. Villafuerte Jr., Christian Tell A. Yap, Edsel A. Galeos, Gus S. Tambunting, Manuel Jose “Mannix” M. Dalipe, and Jane T. Castro.