The Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) joined the Provincial Government of Cebu at the Diosdado Macapagal Sports & Cultural Complex in the Municipality of Argao on 14 October 2011 for the second of a series of ceremonial distribution of agricultural insurance coverage to about 1,163 marginalized farmer and fisherfolk beneficiaries residing in the various municipalities of the 2nd District.

The event was part of the ongoing implementation of the historic Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Provincial Government of Cebu last 12 April 2011. The said MOA provides agricultural insurance to marginalized farmers and fisherfolks as a major component of the latter’s Integrated Farming Systems Development Program (IFSDP).

A similar distribution of agricultural insurance coverage was held in the Municipality of San Remigio last 26 August 2011 that benefitted farmer and fisherfolk beneficiaries residing in the various municipalities of the 4th District.

Representing the PCIC during the ceremonial distribution of agricultural insurance in the 2nd District were President Jovy C. Bernabe, PCIC Board Members David Villanueva (representing Visayas) and Dioscoro Granada (representing Mindanao), AVP Antonio Uy and Region 7 Manager Cresencio V. Deligero, Jr. and staff. The Province of Cebu was led by its Governor Gwendolyn F. Garcia, 2th District Representative and Deputy Speaker Pablo Garcia, 2nd District Provincial Board Member Atty. Peter John Calderon, Provincial Agriculturist Dr. Necias Vicoy, Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Mary Rose Vincoy and the municipal mayors from the province’s 2nd district.

The next ceremonial distribution of agricultural insurance coverage will be held in the Municipality of Dumanjug which will include the beneficiaries from the other municipalities of the 4th District of the province. The remaining districts will follow as soon as their IFSDP beneficiaries are enrolled in the comprehensive insurance program.

To date, over 7,000 farmers occupying more than 1,150 hectares of land including fisherfolks in Cebu are now insured under PCIC. These include more than 1,100 livestock being covered by insurance from the PCIC.

The PCIC considers this joint undertaking with the Province of Cebu as a best practice in PCIC-LGU partnership. The corporation intends to replicate similar agreements in many other provinces to benefit more marginalized farmers and fisherfolks around the Philippines.