Manila: The Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) has allocated an initial insurance payout of PHP571.3 million to hasten the recovery of farmers impacted by Super Typhoon Uwan and Typhoon Tino. The Department of Agriculture (DA) announced that the payout aims to support 65,176 insured farmers across 14 regions who suffered losses in rice, corn, and other high-value crops.

According to Philippines News Agency, a report from PCIC head Jovy Bernabe to Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. revealed that as of November 11, the affected farmers experienced losses amounting to PHP147.3 million for rice, PHP55.6 million for corn, and PHP224.3 million for high-value crops. Region 5, including severely affected Catanduanes, reported the highest number of claimants, with potential payouts estimated at PHP119.4 million.

Bernabe stated that PCIC regional teams have been instructed to remain on the ground to assist farmers and expedite the processing of claims to prevent disruptions in cash flow. The total agricultural losses from the two typhoons have escalated to PHP4.13 billion, impacting 43,882 hectares of farmland and resulting in a loss of 19.2 million metric tons of production across various sectors, including coconut farms, livestock, poultry, fisheries, and agricultural facilities.

Secretary Tiu Laurel Jr. emphasized that the funding aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to provide urgent support to food producers affected by consecutive climate shocks, enabling swift recovery. He highlighted the importance of expanding crop insurance coverage to help the agricultural sector better cope with disasters as extreme weather events become more frequent.