The Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) will provide Livestock Mortality Insurance protection to 2,120 heads of dairy animals imported by the National Dairy Authority (NDA) from New Zealand and Australia that will be distributed to various multiplier farms throughout the country.

The first shipment consisting of 800 heads of Holstein Freshian x Sahiwal cattle have arrived and gone through a month-long acclimatization at the Del Monte quarantine facilities in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon. PCIC Region X technical personnel conducted ear tag validation and eligibility inspection of the animals for insurance purposes. The second shipment of breedable Holstein Freishian x Sahiwal of 405 heads is scheduled to arrive on July 30, 2012 from New Zealand; while the third shipment is due to arrive on August 31, 2012 consisting of 915 Heads coming from Australia which are Holstein Freshian x Jersey.

An NDA-PCIC Team Bright Star was formed to ensure the stringent implementation of policy guidelines of the Livestock Mortality Insurance program. The members of the team are: PCIC Acting Vice-President Antonio S. Uy II, PCIC RO X Regional Manager Rosa M. Gatinao, NDA MFO OIC Jesus B. So, PCIC RO X MSD OIC Chief Roy Arthur P. Alamban, NDA OIC-Accountant Rogelio R. Danuco, PCIC RO X Insurance Underwriter Manuel J. Cortina, NDA Loan Officer Wayne Maandig, and NDA Operations MFO Manager Roger Dagondon.

The program started with the signing of Memorandum of Agreement between NDA Administrator Grace J. Cenas and PCIC President Jovy C. Bernabe on June 28, 2011, with PCIC providing the insurance cover of 662 heads of imported cattle from New Zealand.

PCIC Senior Agriculturist Aida S. Castro reported that PCIC has already paid total claims of P1.416 million for the death of eighteen (18) heads under the program; at present it is processing claims payment of P0.919million for eleven (11) heads. Majority of the claims are due to babesiosis outbreak.