The Agricultural Training Institute-International Training Center for Pig Husbandry (ATI-ITCPH) in Lipa City, Batangas, recently availed itself of the Livestock Mortality insurance program of the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) for its animal holdings.

The insurance covers 70% of the animal’s cost at time of purchase, but should not exceed ₱14,500 for F1, ₱34,000 for parent stock and ₱72,500 for grandparent stock.

“Even [if] the City of Lipa declared [that the city was already] ASF-free last month, the threat for infection is still there. We ramped up our biosecurity measures since the virus entered the country. Then, we thought of having the hogs insured under PCIC,” Ms. Jenny Padilla, an accountant of the ATI-ITCPH, said.

Padilla, together with ATI-ITCPH farm manager Marique Sison and Administrative Officer V Jackielyn Garlet met with Emmylou Pascual, the Marketing and Sales chief of PCIC Regional Office 4 on August 1, 2021. They discussed the underwriting and claims procedure for swine insurance.

PCIC Regional Office 4 Officer-in-charge Ric Gregorio earlier instructed insurance underwriters to meet with swine industry stakeholders at least once a week so they can discuss swine insurance. This is to ensure their investments are protected.

It can be recalled that the Department of Agriculture stopped making payments for depopulated/culled hogs starting July 1, 2021. Instead, the department encouraged raisers to avail themselves of the Livestock Mortality insurance under the PCIC.