AGRI PARTY-LIST

Livelihood Protection

AGRI Party-list Pushes for Expanded Crop Insurance Amid Calamities

AGRI Party-list Pushes for Expanded Crop Insurance Amid Calamities With consecutive typhoons battering the Philippines, AGRI Party-list is calling for the urgent passage of House Bill No. 7387 or the “Essential Crop Insurance Act” to protect farmers from devastating losses during calamities. The bill, approved by the House of Representatives in March 2023, is now awaiting Senate approval. AGRI Representative and Senatorial Aspirant Manoy Wilbert “Wise” Lee emphasized the critical need for expanded crop insurance, saying, “Farmers are left with nothing but debt and despair after every calamity. This measure will ensure they have the protection and support they deserve.” The proposed legislation seeks to broaden the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation’s (PCIC) services to include all agricultural commodities, livestock, aquaculture, and even infrastructure. AGRI Party-list also called on the PCIC to deploy mobile offices to disaster-affected areas, making insurance enrollment more accessible to farmers. AGRI reiterated that safeguarding farmers’ livelihoods is key to achieving food security, stating, “When farmers’ incomes are protected, they are motivated to increase production, which boosts food supply and lowers prices—benefiting the entire nation.” #ProtectOurFarmers #FoodSecurity #WiseLeadership Previous Activities Share the News! Previous PostNext Post Latest Posts​ 28 Nov 2024 Expanded Crop Insurance Key to Food Security, Says AGRI Party-list 26 Nov 2024 AGRI Party-list Urges Senate to Prioritize Crop Insurance Expansion 25 Nov 2024 AGRI Party-list Pushes for Expanded Crop Insurance Amid Calamities Categories Activities Advocacy Legislation Support Previous Activities 2024

AGRI PL CALLS TO FAST-TRACK EXPANSION OF CROP INSURANCE COVERAGE

AGRI PL CALLS TO FAST-TRACK EXPANSION OF CROP INSURANCE COVERAGE With succeeding typhoons hitting the country, AGRI Party-list urged the immediate enactment of a measure expanding crop insurance coverage to protect the livelihood of farmers who lose their hard-earned crops every time a calamity hits. AGRI is the principal author of House Bill (HB) No. 7387 which seeks to expand the services of the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) and encourage private sector participation in agricultural insurance. HB 7387 was approved by the House of Representatives on third and final reading in March 2023, and is now pending in the Senate. “Nananawagan tayo sa mga kapwa natin mambabatas sa Senado na agarang maisabatas ang panukalang ito dahil kulang na kulang sa proteksyon sa kabuhayan ang ating mga magsasaka. Alam naman po natin na tuwing may kalamidad, walang natitira sa kanila maliban sa utang at pangamba na lalong malubog sa kahirapan,” AGRI Party-list Representative and Senatorial Aspirant Manoy Wilbert “Wise” Lee, said. Under the measure, the PCIC shall provide insurance coverage for all agricultural commodities, instead of being limited to palay crops. Further, the proposed measure shall also include other non-crop agricultural assets, such as but not limited to livestock, aquaculture and fishery, agroforestry, forest plantations, machineries, equipment, transport facilities, and other related infrastructures. “Bilang mga itinuturing natin na “food security soldiers”, deserve ng ating mga magsasaka ang suporta ng gobyerno para siguruhin ang kanilang kita. Nararapat lamang na pagaanin ang pasanin ng pinagmumulan ng mismong mga kinakain natin!” the AGRI Party-list said in a statement. AGRI also called on the PCIC to intensify its information campaign to encourage more farmers to enroll in crop insurance and urged it to be more proactive in reaching out to farmers by deploying mobile offices in areas most affected by the successive typhoons in the past weeks. “Imbes na maghintay sa mga opisina, kailangan ang gobyerno mismo ang gumawa ng paraan para ilapit ang mga serbisyo at benepisyo para sa ating mga magsasaka. Hindi na dapat pahirapan ang mga nasalanta nating kababayan o kaya naman ay parang sila pa ang nakikiusap o nagmamakaawa na sila ay tulungan,” the party-list stressed. More than alleviating the financial woes of farmers due to uncompensated losses during calamities, AGRI Party-list underscored the importance of expanding insurance coverage in achieving food security. “Ang pinakamabisang paraan para makamit ang murang pagkain at seguridad sa pagkain ay dagdag na suporta sa agrikultura,” AGRI stated. “Kapag naprotektahan ang kabuhayan ng ating mga magsasaka at mga local food producers at natiyak ang kanilang kita, magsisilbi itong insentibo para pataasin ang kanilang produksyon na magpaparami naman ng supply sa merkado. Kapag nangyari ito, bababa ang presyo ng pagkain at iba pang mga bilihin kung saan panalo ang sambayanang Pilipino!” it added Previous Activities Share the News! Previous Post Latest Posts​ 20 Nov 2024 AGRI PL CALLS TO FAST-TRACK EXPANSION OF CROP INSURANCE COVERAGE 06 Nov 2024 Cong. Wilbert Lee: Supporting Farmers is Best Solution to Curb Inflation 05 Nov 2024 Cong. Wilbert "Manoy" Lee Advocates for Stronger Support to Farmers Amid Inflation Categories Activities Advocacy Legislation Support Previous Activities 2024