Go pushes for insurance coverage for farmers

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) should expand its services to better help farmers especially in times of calamities while the private sector should be encouraged to participate in agriculture insurance, Sen. Bong Go said in pushing for the immediate approval of his bill.

Go filed Senate Bill 2118 that seeks to provide better insurance coverage and services to farmers and help mitigate the impact of natural disasters on the agricultural sector, which he said is vital for the country’s overall economic growth and development.

“Agriculture is the backbone of the Philippine economy as it plays a crucial role in guaranteeing food security for the people,” he said. “The government and other stakeholders need to work together to improve the resilience of the agricultural sector and reduce the impact of natural disasters on farmers and rural communities.”

The senator’s bill stated, “The PCIC was founded to support farmers with insurance coverage against natural calamities such as typhoons, floods, droughts, plant disease, pest infestations and other disasters.”

However, natural disasters and calamities have had a significant impact on the agricultural sector in the country, resulting in losses of billions of pesos every year, Go said.