Manila: The Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) is in the process of releasing PHP9.3 million worth of indemnity checks to farmers whose insured agricultural crops were damaged by typhoons last year. Clogene Galuego, PCIC Antique head, stated in an interview that they have started distributing checks to 1,915 farmers, mostly palay farmers, since Wednesday.

According to Philippines News Agency, the PCIC is compensating farmers for losses due to typhoons Tino and Uwan. Farmers with a one-hectare damaged rice crop are eligible to receive PHP20,000, while those with half-a-hectare can claim PHP10,000. Galuego mentioned that farmers from San Jose de Buenavista, Hamtic, and San Remegio are collecting their claims at the PCIC provincial office in San Jose de Buenavista.

Farmers from other municipalities will be informed about the schedule for the release of their claims at their respective Municipal Agriculture Offices, eliminating the need to travel to the provincial office. Additionally, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. released a separate PHP485,213 to an initial group of 70 farmers during his visit to Hamtic, Antique.

With the distribution of indemnity checks, farmers in Antique are expected to have sufficient funds to purchase farm inputs for the upcoming dry cropping season.