74T fishermen get free insurance

CEBU, Philippines - More than 74,000 fisherfolk affected by super typhoon Yolanda in Central Visayas have availed of the free full insurance coverage of their fishing assets from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation.

The free insurance coverage program was implemented by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources early this year to help the fisherfolk.

The full insurance bundle covers fishing boats, seaweeds, and aquaculture implements and facilities damaged by a calamity.

BFAR Central Office now has 115,000 fishermen-beneficiaries on its list from 42 provinces. The same beneficiaries were also listed in the Department of Budget and Management’s Registry System for Basic Sector in Agriculture.

This is only the initial batch of fishermen who could avail of the insurance coverage from the PCIC.

Allan Poquita, BFAR-7 director, said that in case a beneficiary dies, the family will automatically get P50,000.

“Kana kay insured na man sa BFAR so priority sila nga matabangan,” Poquita said.

The PCIC regional management, in coordination with BFAR and the local government units in the identified provinces, will schedule insurance application dates for the registered fisherfolk. By then, they will be given a copy of the insurance policy number as proof of their coverage.

PCIC has allotted a total of P1.184 billion to cover the insurance for farmers and fisherfolk.

Early this year, BFAR has registered around 1.2 million fishermen nationwide and they are looking at registering 1.6 million fisherfolk before the year ends.

Poquita has encouraged other fisherfolk to register now so they could also avail of the benefits.

“We have to register kay natagam mi adtong collision of two vessels in Talisay City nga nag-oil spill sa Cordova and everyone claims as fisherfolk so mag-lisod ta ug identify,” Poquita explained. (FREEMAN)