DA regains control of crop insurance agency

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has regained control of state-run Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC), boosting its capacity to assist farmers and fisherfolk in case of natural calamities and diseases.

President Marcos signed Executive Order No. 60, which transferred the supervision and control of PCIC back to the DA nearly three years after becoming an attached agency of the Department of Finance (DOF).

“The PCIC is hereby attached to the DA for policy and program coordination,” the DA said, quoting the President’s directive.

READ: DA to regain control of crop insurance function

Marcos cited the need for “a strong organizational link between the PCIC and DA … to enhance agricultural insurance protection programs highly responsive to the needs of small farmers and fisherfolk and other agricultural stakeholders, with policies and programs aimed at ensuring food security and modernization of agriculture.”

Reversing Duterte’s order

The agency has been pushing to regain oversight of the PCIC, citing the need to harmonize the implementation of policies amid current challenges in the indemnification of affected farmers and fisherfolk.

“This gives us the scope to assure farmers, livestock and poultry raisers, aquaculturists and others in production side, so we could shield them from losses that may be caused by disasters, pests and diseases,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said.

READ: DA vows insurance, aid for farmers, fishers as El Niño lurks

PCIC was established as a government-owned and controlled corporation in 1995 to provide insurance protection to farmers, shielding them from losses caused by natural calamities, plant diseases, and pest infestation of palay, corn, and other crops.

It had been under the wings of the DA until September 2021 when former President Rodrigo Duterte signed EO No. 148 that transferred the PCIC to the DOF.