Director Dalmacio Tamba Jr., Visayas farmers’ representative to the PCIC Board, instructed PCIC Regional Office 6 Marketing and Sales Chief Jose Ma. Torres Jr., and PCIC Extension Office in Negros Occidental Head Ariel Batuigas, to extend PCIC services to more farmers and fisherfolk in La Castellana town in the province of Negros Occidental.

Tamba relayed the directive during a courtesy call of PCIC officials to La Castellana Mayor Rhumylla Nicor Mangilimutan held on February 20, 2025 at the La Castellana Municipal Hall.

“Time is of the essence and we should move fast as Mt. Kanlaon is so unpredictable,” Director Tamba said. “The number of farmers insured in La Castellana can still be improved three times over.”

To achieve this, Dir. Tamba suggested greater coordination between the PCIC and the Municipal Agriculture Office, headed by Jeramae Salapante.

In response, Torres and Batuigas said they will intensify the conduct of information dissemination starting this week and mass orientation and enrollment at the same time. Almost 4,000 farmers were insured under the RSBSA program with premium subsidy amounting to ₱5.5 Million in 2024.  Indemnity claims reached ₱7.8 Million. This was released to more than 2,700 farmers.