TACLOBAN CITY-The Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) was created through Presidential Decree 1467 on June 11, 1978 by former President Ferdinand Marcos “to provide insurance protection to farmers against losses arising from natural disasters as well as plant diseases and pest infestation.”
It is designed to protect farmers against financial losses by transferring the risk to a third party.
“I believe farmers, like all other sectors, were convinced on the importance of getting an insurance to shield them from losses after the onslaught of Yolanda. You saw what happened here,” Digamon added.
Digamon said it is important for the farmers to have this assurance especially that Eastern Visayas is not only a typhoon-prone area but also prone to drought and pest infestation.
“They can easily start anew because PCIC pays for their investment. Without crop insurance where will they go? If they have a loan at the bank, we pay the bank and this will allow farmers to borrow again from the bank,” he said.
PCIC is offering a free insurance to encourage more farmers to avail of this service.
One has to be listed in the Registry System for Basic Sector in Agriculture (RSBSA), a joint project of PCIC and the Department of Budget and Management, to avail of this service.
The RSBSA is a nationwide database of baseline information of farmers, farm laborers and fishermen from identified provinces, as well as geographical coordinates of agricultural and fishery workers households.
These data are used as basis for developing programs and policies for the agriculture and fishery sectors.
The database also identifies the names of small owner-cultivators, land holders, tenants, and regular and seasonal farm workers.

Despite the free insurance, though, “penetration rate” or the ratio between agricultural insurance premium volume and agricultural GDP remains low.
“Our penetration rate in rice is around 10 percent,” says Digamon without providing the exact data or an explanation on how the figure was arrived at.
He said this is a low figure considering that the insurance offered to farmers is for free. He explained that farmers who are not listed in RSBSA will have to pay the full premium.
“This is one reason why a farmer would not apply for an insurance. They would rather spend the money to buy food and other needs than pay the premium,” he said.

TACLOBAN CITY- Promoting development in the countryside and increase the share of the internal revenue allotment (IRA) for local government units are just two of the priorities that would be pushed by the Leyte mayors.
This was disclosed by Barugo Mayor Maria Rosario Avestruz who was elected as the information officer of the League of Mayors of the Philippines- Leyte Chapter.
Avestruz, who is serving on her first term as mayor, said that during the organization’s election held on Monday (August 22), Javier Mayor Leonardo “Sandy” Javier was reelected as president.
This will be Javier’s second term as president of the group.
Also elected were Palo Mayor Remedios “Matin” Petilla as vice president; Dulag Mayor Joy Mildred Que, secretary with Mahaplag Mayor Daisy Lleve as her assistant; La Paz Mayor Lesmes Lumen as treasurer with San Miguel Mayor Cheeryl Enrica Esperas as his assistant; Palompon Mayor Ramon Oñate as auditor; Calubian Mayor Doroteo Palconit and Dagami Mayor Abundio Delusa as sergeant-at-arms.
Also elected as board of directors were Tanauan Mayor Pelagio Tecson Jr., for first district; Burauen Mayor Juanito Renomeron for second district; Tabango Mayor Bernard Jonathan Remandaban for third district; Kananga Mayor Rowena Codilla for fourth district and Hindang Mayor Betty Cabal for fifth district.
The new set of officers of the Leyte mayor’s group was inducted into office by Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla.
While Leyte has 41 town mayors, only 30 were present during the Monday’s election. Among those who were absent was embattled Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. who is fighting allegation on his involvement on illegal drug trade.
Leyte has 21 new mayors of which 13 of them are women.
According to Mayor Avestruz, the thrust of their group under Mayor Javier, is to request the national government to increase the IRA shares of the local government units, especially those categorized in the fourth to sixth classes which depends much of the funding coming from the national government and encourage more investments in the countryside.
“By promoting investments in the countryside not only these areas will (economically) develop but will also help stop people leaving the provinces to find work outside,” Avestruz said.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)

TACLOBAN CITY – Dengue fever cases continue to rise sharply here in the region, killing 16 people and afflicting 2,982 others since January until this week, according to the Department of Health (DOH).
Roderick Boyd Cerro, chief of the DOH regional epidemiology and surveillance unit, said this year’s ballooning dengue fever cases is quite alarming.
“Number of cases increased by 228 percent compared to the same period last year. Dengue mortality rose by 300 percent this year compared to 2015,” Cerro said in a mobile phone interview.
Deaths have been reported in Catbalogan City and Catbalogan City; Maasin City; San Miguel, Abuyog, Baybay City, Palo, and Tanauan, all in Leyte; Borongan City; and San Vicente, Northern Samar.
Clustering of cases have been noted in Baybay City, Capoocan, Palo, Sta. Fe, Tacloban City, and Tolosa, all in Leyte; Guiuan and Lawaan, both in Eastern Samar; Lavezares in Northern Samar; Naval in Biliran; and Padre Burgos in Southern Leyte.
The DOH field office here sent a team of health workers to the island town of Sto. Niño in Samar to check as local authorities have reported of a dengue outbreak in their area.
“For areas with many dengue cases, our advice is to conduct fogging operation to kill any adult mosquitoes. This can be done once a week for three weeks to control the mosquito population,” Cerro added.
Other strategies of the health department to combat rising cases are intensified mosquito control efforts, coordinate with local government units in information drive, conduct fogging and larviciding in areas with clustering of cases, install dengue express lanes in hospitals, purchase and preposition of fluids.
Dengue fever is marked by an onset of sudden high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, and pain in muscles and joints. Some may also have a rash and varying degree of bleeding from various parts of the body.
Cerro urged those who suffer the symptoms to immediately seek consultation from local health workers to prevent deaths from this mosquito-borne disease.
(SARWELL Q.MENIANO)