Damage to agriculture by tropical storm Florita has surpassed the P1 billion mark, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) members and pensioners affected by Florita may borrow up to P40,000 from the state insurance firm. The GSIS said even those with existing emergency loan balance may also avail themselves of the financial assistance to pay off their loan balance and still receive P20,000.
In a related development, AGRI party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee pushed for the passage of a measure that would compensate farmers of essential crops for losses due to natural calamities.
The DA’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center (DRRM) estimated losses to crops at P1.13 billion, up from P19.10 million reported earlier.
The DA-DRRM cited additional reports about damage and losses on rice, corn, high-value crops, and livestock and poultry from the affected provinces.
The DA said Florita affected 6,647 farmers who reportedly suffered crop losses at 66,633 metric tons from 44,922 hectares of agricultural lands in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and the Bicol Region.
The DA’s regional field offices was still assessing of damage and losses fisheries sector.
The DA continuously coordinates with concerned national government agencies, local government units (LGUs), and other DRRM-related offices for the impact of the typhoon, as well as available resources for interventions and assistance.
The DA-DRRM said the assistance available for distribution to affected farmers and fishers consisted of 69,046 bags of rice seeds, 3,840 bags of corn seeds, and 600 kilograms of assorted vegetable seeds, drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry, fingerlings from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, survival and recovery (SURE) program of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC), and quick response fund (QRF) for the rehabilitation of the affected areas.
The DA-DRRM said it will continuously provide updates regarding the damage caused by Florita.
Florita left the country on Wednesday morning.
GSIS president and general manager Wick Veloso said members and pensioners without existing emergency loans may apply for P20,000.
Veloso clarified however, that only active members residing or working, as well as the elderly and those with disability pensioners, may apply for the loan after their place of residence has been declared under a state of calamity.
He said members who are qualified to apply should be in active service and not on leave of absence without pay; have at least three months of paid premiums within the last six months; have no pending administrative or criminal case; and have a net take-home pay of not lower than P5,000 after all required monthly obligations have been deducted.
“Aside from emergency loan, our members may avail of the Multi-purpose Loan (MPL) Plus, which has a loan ceiling of up to P5 million. Pensioners, on the other hand, may borrow up to six months’ worth of their pension under our enhanced pension loan program or up to P500,000.” Veloso said.
GSIS will also provide financial assistance worth P400,000 each to six schools in Northern Luzon as part of its Adopt-a-School Program in partnership with the Department of Education.
The package of assistance includes support for technology and assistive learning devices, infrastructure, and furniture.
“This is out of the 25 schools that GSIS will adopt nationwide this year as part of its corporate social responsibility program. Since 2014, GSIS has already adopted 85 schools across the country,” Veloso said.
Meanwhile, Lee filed House Bill 1298, or the Essential Crop Insurance Act of 2022, which seeks to make insurance for essential crops mandatory.
“Florita is another harsh reminder of the urgency of implementing measures that would indemnify our farmers for disaster-related losses and help ensure that our food supply remains stable,” Lee said.
“We have to institutionalize a proper insurance mechanism for our farmers and fisherfolk.,” said Lee.
HB 1298 provides a legal basis for the National Food Authority to shoulder the premium for indigent farmers subject to equitable shares in insurance proceeds by amending Section 4 of Presidential Decree No. 1467, as amended by Republic Act No. 8175, or the “Revised Charter of the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) Act of 1995.”
Insurance proceeds for premiums covered by the NFA will be split, with the agency getting at least 50 percent of payouts.
Essential crops include rice, corn, cassava, coconut, sugarcane, and vegetables.