ILOILO – For thousands of farmers and fisherfolk battered by three successive typhoons in Western Visayas, the lifeline came not from the skies but from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) Region 6, which has begun releasing millions in indemnity payments to help them start over.
Between September 30 and October 3, the agency distributed P17 million to 4,659 beneficiaries across the region — part of a broader P306-million payout for losses suffered from typhoons “Marisol”, “Nando”, and “Opong”, as well as pest infestations and flooding earlier this year.
“Gina-try ta gid nga mag-timing (insurance release) for the introduction of the next cropping. Kay muna gid ang purpose sang aton crop insurance, para may magamit sila sa next cropping,” said Regional Manager Eva Ulie Laud, emphasizing that the payouts are timed to help farmers resume operations immediately.
Insurance as recovery capital
Unlike traditional aid programs, PCIC’s crop insurance gives farmers financial capacity to restart planting, buy inputs, or repair damaged boats—without the burden of loans. Through the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA), premiums are fully subsidized by the national government under the General Appropriations Act (GAA).
“Kadto sila sa aton municipal agriculture officers… libre because of the RSBSA program. Si farmer wala na gabayad premium, gobyerno na ang gasagot,” Laud said.
In Region 6, the government has set aside P590 million for free insurance coverage this year, ensuring continuity of support for agricultural workers in Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, and Negros Occidental.
Massive coverage, massive relief
From January to September 2025, PCIC-6 insured 449,740 farmers and fisherfolk, spanning seven insurance product lines — from rice and corn to livestock, aquaculture, and non-crop assets.
* Rice Crop Insurance – 204,567 farmers
* Corn Crop Insurance – 15,717 farmers
* High-Value Crops – 43,657 farmers
* Livestock – 18,080 farmers
* Fisheries – 4,261 fisherfolk
* Non-Crop Assets – 9,552 farmers
* Credit & Life Term – 153,906 beneficiaries
“Now once ma-damage siya, ma-file siya notice of loss… mapadala kita sang adjuster to assess sang damage. Kong may damage, dira magabayad kita,” Laud explained.
Typhoon-hit farmers among top claimants
The brunt of typhoons “Marisol”, “Nando”, and “Opong” was felt in agricultural communities where crops were already weakened by previous storms. Laud said 10,678 rice and corn farmers filed Notices of Loss, along with 853 seaweed growers in Caluya and Culasi, Antique, and 144 motorboat owners whose boats were damaged by strong winds.
“Sa kay ‘Opong’, ang nabaton ta lang is over 1,000 notice of loss kay nakita naton nga pagsulod ni Opong halos tanan nakauna na damage ni Nando kag Marisol typhoons,” she said.
From checks to clicks
While indemnity payments are currently released through checks, PCIC-6 is transitioning toward digital disbursement systems like GCash to speed up financial assistance. Laud said this will reduce delays and eliminate the need for farmers to travel to regional offices./PN
