PCIC releases farmers' insurance claims

CEBU, Philippines - The Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) has released the insurance claims of farmers in the towns of Dumanjug and Barili who were enrolled by the Province of Cebu.

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and PCIC regional director Crecencio Delijero turned over the claims to respective beneficiaries during their visit in the said towns last week.

A certain Glen Robledo of barangay Kambanog in Dumanjug received P4,323 as payment for the death of a swine breeder insured under the Special Comprehensive Insurance Program for Agri-Fishery Projects and Stakeholders.

Lorena Boquecosa and Emilia Reducto, both of Barangay Kantangkas, Dumanjug, received P52,000 each for the death of their husbands.

The P50,000 represents the accidental death benefit and the P2,000 as burial assistance.

Boquecosa’s husband, Capistrano, died in a motorcycle accident last July 24, 2012. She received an additional P10,000 as automatic death benefit as an insured corn farmer.

Reducto’s husband, Primitivo, an insured member of the barangay’s Lupon Tagapamayapa, drowned and died last July 13, 2012.

The Barili Rice Farmers Irrigators Association also received P25,312.79 financial assistance for their insured crops damaged by typhoon.

 The Cebu Provincial Government aims to cover at least 80 percent of Cebu’s farmers and fisherfolk with the PCIC by the end of the year for their crops, livestock and equipment including their personal accident insurance.

There are around 40,000 registered farmers and fisherfolk in the Province of Cebu. Garcia said that 20-25 percent of them have already been insured since the program kicked off during the third quarter of 2011.

From Government Service and Insurance System (GSIS), Garcia transferred the insurance of 45,102 barangay officials, lupons, day care workers, barangay nutrition scholars, barangay health workers, barangay animal health aides and bantay dagat to PCIC.

With the same premium of P35, they will now receive a higher insurance coverage, from P40 thousand to P50 thousand plus additional medical reimbursement from P2 thousand to P5 thousand with PCIC.

Whether they met a work-related accident or not, PCIC will never make a distinction and in a matter of 20 days, the beneficiaries can receive their insurance benefits.  (FREEMAN)