PCIC Regional Office XII distributed a total of P1,924,112.54 worth of indemnity checks to 222 farmers of Sultan Kudarat on May 20, 2015 at Tacurong City Gymnasium, Tacurong City.

The said event was graced by PCIC BOD Chairman Dioscoro A. Granada, PCIC XII Regional Manager Elias S. Catulong and staff, Tacurong City Mayor Lina O. Montilla, City Agriculturist Ramon B. Losañes, and Agricultural Technologists and farmers from the different municipalities of Sultan Kudarat.

RM Catulong, in his opening remarks, expressed his thankfulness for a strong partnership among PCIC, LGUs and DA, and for the latter’s invaluable support to the implementation of PCIC’s insurance program particularly the Agricultural Insurance for farmers listed in Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) and the DA Weather Adverse Rice Areas (WARA) Program.

Mayor Montilla said that PCIC had been a good partner of the city government in helping their farmers recover from financial crisis caused by crop damage. She added that the city government of Tacurong will remain supportive of PCIC’s insurance programs.

PCIC BOD Chairman Granada said that insurance programs in the country should be strengthened, since Philippines ranks no. 3 among countries around the globe which are susceptible to natural calamities.

Three selected farmer-beneficiaries from the different barangays of Tacurong City gave their testimonies on how PCIC alleviated their lives as farmers.  Mr. Roland Cordeza of Brgy. EJC Montilla, Tacurong City expressed his gratitude to PCIC for giving him the opportunity to avail of free crop insurance that indeed helped him recover his losses due to crop failure.  Mr. Liberato Arevalo of Brgy. Baras, Tacurong City thanked PCIC and acknowledged the perseverance of the DA Agricultural Technologist assigned in their area.  Mr. Gerry Palomo, a farmer from Brgy. New Passi, Tacurong City expressed his commitment in persuading his fellow farmers to engage in crop insurance.  He was quoted saying, “Some farmers in our area do not believe in PCIC’s insurance programs. But after finding out that those who were insured, including me, were given indemnity checks after crop damage, their perception about the corporation had changed.”