Antique: The Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) has successfully enrolled 2,217 hog raisers in the province of Antique this year, ensuring insurance coverage for a total of 9,816 swine heads as of August 11.

According to Philippines News Agency, PCIC Antique head Clogene Galuego highlighted in a recent interview that they have been actively accepting applications from swine raisers. This initiative was prompted by the need to secure insurance coverage before the African swine fever (ASF) potentially impacts the province. She emphasized that the processing of insurance coverage ceases once an ASF outbreak is officially declared.

Prompted by confirmed cases of ASF in the neighboring provinces of Capiz and Iloilo over the past two months, many farmers have taken the necessary steps to secure insurance for their livestock. PCIC offers free insurance coverage of PHP10,000 per head for fatteners and PHP14,500 per head for breeders, encouraging swine raisers to register with the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture. This registration allows them to avail free insurance coverage for up to 10 heads of breeders and 20 heads of fatteners.

The PCIC also extends its support by having technicians assist swine farmers in processing their insurance applications. "Swine raisers may coordinate with the PCIC technicians or with the Municipal Agriculture Offices for their insurance applications," Galuego advised.

In addition to swine, PCIC provides insurance coverage for rice and corn crops, further supporting the agricultural sector in the region.