DA reiterates call to hog raisers to insure stocks

As indemnification for depopulated hogs in African swine fever-affected areas ended, the Department of Agriculture is intensifying its call to all hog growers including those in the green or free zones to insure their stocks with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC).

Western Visayas is one of the remaining ASF-free regions in the country.

DA-6 director Remelyn Recoter urged all hog raisers to register in the Registry System for Basic Sector in Agriculture (RSBSA) which is one of the primary requirements in availing swine insurance.

“Those farmers listed under RSBSA could avail of the free livestock insurance offered by the PCIC which could be of help during this uncertain situation with the luring threats of ASF in our more than P20 billion swine industry in the region,” said Recoter.

Those who have not yet listed on RSBSA and have not yet applied for livestock insurance could visit the nearest municipal or city agriculture offices to access the forms and inquire the needed information about the program.

An excerpt from the Memorandum of Secretary William Dar dated July 14, 2021, highlights that to qualify for the insurance program, beneficiaries such as backyard swine raisers listed in the RSBSA, farmer cooperatives or associations, commercial farm operators, local government units (LGUs), and state colleges or universities should satisfy the following requirements: LGUs that have jurisdiction over the farms of these beneficiaries must have adopted harmonized ordinances relevant to the prevention and control of ASF; the LGU must have prepared and are implementing and regularly updating a City/municipal ASF Control and Prevention Plan aligned with regional initiatives of the DA Regional Field Offices (RFOs).

The DA RFOs shall provide technical assistance in the preparation and updating of the plan; the LGU must have organized the “Bantay sa ASF sa Barangay”; the hog farms are registered with the LGU; Operations must be compliant with the Biosecurity level 1 standard; and farmers or in case of commercial farms, owners and staff have been trained on biosecurity procedures.

Individual hog raisers could insure a maximum of 20 fatteners and ten breeders for free under the RSBSA funds but an excess number of heads has a minimum fee for its insurance coverage.

The DA and the PCIC have been working collaboratively to provide insurance protection to farmers against losses arising from natural calamities, diseases and pest infestations of crops to attain a food secure and resilient Philippine with empowered and prosperous farmers and fisherfolk.*