The Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) has earmarked an initial PHP571.3 million to compensate insured farmers hit by Typhoons Tino and Uwan, one of the government’s support measures as it works to speed up agricultural recovery from back-to-back climate shocks.
“This is part of the assistance package ordered by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to help food producers swiftly recover,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said. He added that wider crop insurance coverage is becoming increasingly critical as climate change intensifies the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. “Hopefully, more of our agricultural stakeholders can be covered by the PCIC so the sector can better cope with disasters,” he said.
In a report to Tiu Laurel, PCIC President Jovy Bernabe said that as of November 11, about 65,176 insured farmers across 14 regions were affected by the two typhoons. Most cultivate rice, corn, and high-value crops.
Initial assessments indicate losses of around PHP147.3 million for rice, PHP55.6 million for corn, and PHP224.3 million for high-value crops. Region V—home to hard-hit Catanduanes—recorded the highest number of claimants at 10,958, with potential payouts estimated at PHP119.4 million.
Bernabe said regional PCIC teams have been instructed to extend assistance on the ground and fast-track claims processing to prevent cash-flow disruptions for affected farmers. “We have issued strict instructions to our regional staff to continue assisting farmers and speed up the processing of their damage claims,” he said.
According to the Agriculture Department’s latest estimates, total damages and losses from Typhoons Uwan and Tino have climbed to PHP4.13 billion. The storms wiped out an estimated 19.2 million metric tons of production across 43,882 hectares, affecting not only crops but also coconut farms, livestock and poultry, fisheries, agricultural infrastructure, and machinery.
