Yap seeks implementation of crop insurance coverage

MANILA, Philippines - A weather-based crop insurance coverage for farmers is being pushed by a former Agriculture secretary now serving as a legislator at the House of Representatives.

Bohol Rep. Arthur Yap, who served during the Arroyo administration, wants to protect farmers from the effects of climate change by ensuring they get money depending on the weather.

“This can be part of the package of social protection for the poor to help them stay afloat and be one of the tools that we can use to increase food security,” Yap said.

“If we can afford to give P60 billion to P70 billion for CCT (conditional cash transfer), why can’t we set aside for index-based insurance?” he added.

Under House Bill 40, farmers will be paid cash depending on the measures of indices of wind, water and dry spell, among others, as computed by the state weather bureau.

The index-based program could also be triggered by extreme weather conditions, which may impact from the planting to the harvesting of crops.

Currently, the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. pays only up to P1 billion to cover for damaged crops.

This, even as data showed that the country is losing around P40 billion every year from it.

“That does not even cover all crops and that is the very eloquent testimony to the absence of crop insurance in the country. Without that, how are you gonna protect the farmers?” Yap said.

Yap emphasized that the index-based program has trigger events along the planting season and reproductive stages of the crop season.

the poverty track,” he added.